m^e  i.  H.  Bill  iCibrarij 


5?ortI|  (Earolina  ^tat?  Imopraitg 

SB  4 15 
R75 


S00249217  P 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  DATE 
INDICATED  BELOW  AND  IS  SUB- 
JECT TO  AN  OVERDUE  FINE  AS 
POSTED  AT  THE  CIRCULATION 
DESK. 


NOV  2  8 1984 


m  2  4  mo 


GARDENING  UNDER  GLASS 


Think  of  a  place  like  this,  on  a  winter's  morning!  And  there  is  no  limit 
to  the  kinds  of  things  you  can  grow  in  a  glass  gartlen — all  your  own  favorite 
flowers  as  well  as  the  regular  greenhouse  ones.  This  house,  big  as  it  looks, 
is  only  the  width  of  a  regular  "standard"  ready-made  glass  garden. 


GARDENING 
UNDER  GLASS 

A  little  book  of  helpful  hints 
written  particularly  J  or  those  ivtio 
would  extend  their  gardening 
joys  around  the  twelvemonth 

^/  .       BY 
F^'  Ff  ROCKWELL 


GARDEN    CITY  NEW    YORK 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE   &  COMPANY 
1923 


^^ 


^A 


'^ 


COPYllIGIIT,  1923,    BY 

DOUBLEDAY,   PAGE   &   COMPANY 

ALI,    RIGHTS    RKSKRVED,    INCLUDING    THAT    OF    TRANSLATION 

INTO  FOREIGN    LANGUAGES,   INCLUDING  THE   SCANDINAVIAN 

PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES; 

AT 

THE  COUNTRY  LIFE  PRESS,  GARDEN  CITY,  N.  Y. 

First  Edition 


LIBRARY 

N,  C.  State  College 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

This  little  book  on  growing  flowers,  fruits,  and 
vegetables  under  glass  has  also  something  to 
say  about  the  structures  in  which  the  growing 
is  done.  For  intimate  facts  of  that  character, 
acknowledgment  is  made  of  the  cooperation  of 
the  Lord  &  Burnham  Company,  Greenhouse 
Manufacturers  and  Builders. 

In  Part  Two  special  features  have  been  con- 
tributed by  such  well-knowm  greenhouse  grower 
experts  as  William  Turner  (Pineapples,  Roses, 
Grapes)  and  W.  N.  Craig  (Palms  and  Stove 
Plants).  Mr.  John  Ash  is  responsible  for  "Fruit 
Trees  in  Pots  the  Year  Round,"  and  the  chapter 
on  "All  Kinds  of  Greenhouses"  is  reproduced 
by  permission  from  The  Garden  Magazine. 


^i;?5«i  i 


CONTENTS 

PART  I 

GARDENING  UNDER  GLASS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     What  You  Need  to  Know  to  Garden 

Under  Glass 1 

If  You've  Gardened  Outside,  You  Can 
Garden  Inside — The  Essentials  of 
Success — Some  Points  on  Watering — 
Need  of  Light  and  Air — The  One  Rec- 
reation that  Never  Goes  Stale — A 
Glass  Garden  without  "Marring  the 
Architecture. " 

11.     Rebuilding  the  Garden  of  Eden      .       18 
What  I  Grew  in  My  First  Greenhouse 
— ^A  Big  Discovery  in  a  Little  Green- 
house. 

III.     You  Decide  on  a  Greenhouse:  The 

Fun  Begins 27 

Getting  the  Plants  in  Advance — Pre- 
paring the  Filling  for  the  Glass  Garden 
—How  We  Made  a  Start — From 
Seeds  and  Cuttings  all  in  one  Frame. 


viii  Contents 

CBAPTER  PAGE 

IV.  How  TO  Succeed  with  Seeds    .      .       35 

The  First  Thing  Is  the  Importance  of 
the  "Make  Ready  "—Starting  Right 
with  the  Right  Soil — Preparing  the 
Soil  for  Sowing — Sowing  the  Seed. 

V.  The  IVIagic  Touch 48 

Rooting  the  Cuttings — Pot  Them  up 
before  the  Roots  Get  Long. 

VI.     The  Fascinating  Art  of  Soil  Build- 
ing       57 

What  Soil  Must  Be  for  Plants  to 
Thrive  in  It — The  INIaterials  for  Soil 
Building. 

VII.     Such  Stuff  as  Blooims  Are  Made  of      64 
How  Plants  Eat — An  Assortment  of 
Plant  Foods  to  Start  with. 

VIII.     Keeping    Your    Plants    Hale    and 

Hearty 71 

Things  to  Think  of^ — Keep  the  Air 
Moist — How  JVIuch  Water  to  Use-— 
When  to  Give  Fresh  Air — When  to 
Change  to  Larger  Pots — Growing 
Periods  and  Resting  Periods — Freez- 
ing before  Forcing. 

IX.     Overcoming  the  Bug  Bug-a-boo.      .       87 
The  "Remedy"  Must  Fit  the  Bug- 
Chewing  Insects  Can  Be  Poisoned — 


Contents  ix 

CHAPTEB  PAGE 

Sucking  Insects  Cause  the  Most 
Trouble — What  to  Ward  Against — 
Avoiding  Plant  Ills. 

X.     Armsful  of  Blooms  and  Plants  in 

Abundance 97 

The  Flowers  You  Can  Count  on — 
Starting  the  Plants — Training  and 
Disbudding — Plants  for  Winter  Flow- 
ering— Have  a  Living-room  Plant 
Room. 

XI.  Bulbs — ^To  Keep  You  Smiling    .      .     113 

Make  Them  Make  Roots  before  They 
Make  Tops. 

XII.  Fresh  Vegetables  THE  Year 'Round     120 

The  Sure  Satisfaction  Ones — Start 
Lettuce  in  August — Some  Root  Vege- 
tables for  Under  Glass — Tomatoes  for 
Fall  and  Spring — The  Vine  Crops 
under  Glass — Putting  on  the  Loam 
Blanket. 

XIII.  Fruits  for  Your  Own  Picking      .     137 

Other  Fruits  to  Grow  in  a  Single 
House — Ripe  Red  Strawberries  When 
the  Snow  Flies. 

XIV.  The  Kind  of  Greenhouse  to  Build  .  147 
The  Greenhouse  to  Fit  the  Place — 
Why  a  Workroom  Is  Necessary. 


X 

CHAPTER 

XV. 


XVI. 


Contents 


PAGE 

157 


Handy  and  Helpful  Accessories 
Soil     Ingredients     and     Fertilizers — 
Tools  and  Plant  Helps. 

Around  the  Year  in  the  Crystal 
Garden 165 


PART  II 

CULTIVATION  OF  SPECIAL  CROPS 

XVII.     All  About  Violets      ....  187 

XVIII.     All  About  Pineapples      .      .      .  195 

XIX.     All  About  Palms 202 

XX.     Ripe  Grapes  from  May  to  Neav 

Year's 211 

XXI.     Fruit  Trees  in  Pots  the  Year 

Round 218 

XXII.     Vegetable   Growing  in  Frames  225 

XXIII.  The  Handling  of  Stove  Plants  230 

XXIV.  Greenhouse  and  Bedding  Plants  239 

XXV.     Growing      Vegetables      Under 

Glass 249 

XXVI.     Roses  all  Winter 265 

XXVII.  All  Kinds  of  Greenhouses  and 

What  May  Be  Grown  There  275 

XXVIII.  Books  to  Help  You  Further  .  287 


PART  I 
GARDENING  UNDER  GLASS 


Gardening  Under  Glass 

CHAPTER  I 

WHAT    YOU    NEED    TO    KNOW    TO    GARDEN    UNDER 
GLASS 

In  Which  Are  Summed   Up,  Briefly,  the  Most 
Important    Things    That   Make  for   Success 

Right  at  the  beginning  I  put  a  little  summary 
of  some  of  the  more  important  chapters  in  this 
book  about  growing  things  in  a  garden  of  glass. 
Putting  a  summary  ahead  of  what  is  summed 
has  its  advantages,  even  if  it  isn't  the  orthodox 
way. 

The  sole  purpose  of  this  book  is  to  help  people 
to  grow  the  things  they  want  to  grow,  in  their 
glass  gardens.  To  attempt  to  do  that  at  all 
thoroughly  means  going  into  a  lot  of  details,  and 
the  details  about  a  thing  with  which  one  is  not 
familiar  are  sometimes  confusing. 

So,  for  those  who  have  not  yet  had  much 
experience  in  glass  gardening,  I  want,  first  of  all, 
to   dispel   some   of  the   doubts   which  ofttimes 


Gardening  Under  Glass 

prevail;  and  then  to  make 
as  plain  as  possible  the 
general  principles  that 
lead  to  success. 

If  You've  Gardened  Out- 
side, You  Can  Gar-den 
Inside 

First,  as  to  the  doubt 
worries,  be  assured  that 
if  you  have  been  success- 
ful with  your  flowers  and 
plants  out  of  doors,  you 
can  be  successful  with 
them  under  glass.  There 
need  be  no  question 
about  that. 

This  statement  is  made  with  some  positive- 
ness,  because  I  began  greenhouse  gardening  with- 
out any  experience  other  than  what  I  had  gained 
in  gardening  out  of  doors;  and,  while  there  was 
much  to  learn,  I  soon  found  that  the  essentials 
were  the  same  for  both  kinds  of  gardening.  So, 
when  any  person  who  is  over-timid  about  glass 
gardening  says  to  me,  "Aren't  the  conditions 
entirely  unlike.'^  Doesn't  one  have  to  grow  en- 
tirely different  things?  Isn't  a  great  deal  more 
skill  and  knowledge  required  in  the  glass  garden 


In  the  dead  of  winter  you 
merely  push  the  latch — and 
there  is  all  the  joy  of  your  sum- 
mer garden! 


What  You  Need  to  Knoiv 


There  are  no  diirk  and  secret  mysteries  al)()ut  gardening  under  glass. 
If  plants  will  grow  for  you  outside,  they  will  inside — twelve  months  in 
the  year. 


than  in  the  outdoor  garden?" — ^I  answer,  "No."" 
True,  conditions  inside  and  outside  are  not 
the  same,  but  as  conditions  inside  are  more 
completelj^  under  the  gardener's  control,  there  is 
no  disadvantage  in  this.  One  quickly  learns 
that  there  are  limits,  and  about  what  they  are, 
the  same  as  in  outdoor  growing. 

As  to  what  may  be  grown  in  the  glass  garden, 
there  is  practically  no  limit  except  that  of  prac- 
ticability. 


4  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Sweet  Corn  and  Table  Peas,  for  instance,  may 
be  grown  perfectly  well  under  glass.  That 
usually  they  are  not  so  grown  is  because  they 
occupy  so  much  space  in  proportion  to  the  re- 
turns. 

Most  of  the  ordinary  flowens  and  shrubs  can 
be  transferred  to,  or  grown  in,  the  glass  garden. 
The  favorites  of  your  hardy  border  and  your 
beds  of  annuals  you  may  have  inside  as  well  as 
out,  and  very  often  of  a  greater  luxuriousness  of 
growth.  The  standard  "greenhouse  plants," 
as  they  are  called,  are  only  a  small  part  of  what 
may  perfectly  well  be  grown  if  one  wishes  to  go 
outside  the  lists  of  the  usually  grown. 

As  to  skill  and  knowledge,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  start  all  over  again  when  you  begin  under 
glass.  All  that  has  been  learned  in  the  outside 
gardening  may  be  brought  into  play  inside. 
Of  course,  if  you  are  progressive,  you  will  pick 
up  new  methods  and  details  as  you  go  on;  but 
the  point  is  that,  as  a  start,  your  experience  with 
outside  gardening  will  enable  you  to  begin  gar- 
dening inside,  with  every  prospect  of  having  it 
go  satisfactorily. 


The  Essentials  of  Success 

Now  any  gardening,  even  the  growing  of  a 
row  of  Radishes  or  a  bed  of  Petunias,  cannot  be 


What  You  Need  to  Know  5 

successful  unless  a  few  fundamental  things  in 
connection  with  it  are  right: 

Soil  is  the  first  of  these  things.  Any  one  who 
attempts  to  do  any  kind  of  gardening  very 
quickly  discovers  that  seeds  planted  in  some 
soil  will  come  up  to  have  only  a  starved  and  strug- 
gling existence,  or  to  flower  prematurely,  and 
then  turn  yellow  and  die.  And  the  same  seed, 
with  the  same  care,  in  other  soil,  will  send  up 
sturdy  little  seedlings,  dark  green  and  thrifty 
looking,  that  will  "grow  hke  weeds"  and  put 
forth  blooms  as  though  they  were  doing  it  by 
piece-work,  at  so  much  per  dozen! 

So,  in  the  greenhouse,  good  soil  is  wanted — 
the  kind  of  soil  that  in  other  garden  work  would 
be  called  a  "rich,  friable,  loam";  the  kind  of  soil 
that  one  finds  in  old  beds  that  are  well  manured, 
year  after  year,  and  kept  hoed  and  dug,  till  the 
soil  in  them  is  so  mellow  that  one  likes  to  dig 
holes  in  it  with  one's  fingers  to  set  plants  in; 
and  so  suitable  for  plant  roots  that  every  little 
seed  in  it  will  sprout  and  start  out  to  make  a 
husky  plant  every  time  you  leave  the  surface 
undisturbed  for  a  fortnight  or  so! 

Such  soil  is  needed  to  make  plants  thrive  lus- 
tily under  glass,  as  well  as  outside.  Usually, 
the  same  soil  that  is  giving  good  results  outside 
may  be  used  inside. 


6  Gardening  Under  Glass 

There  is,  however,  this  difference.  Under 
some  conditions  a  qnite  heavy  clay  soil  will 
give  good  results  outside,  whereas  soil  for  inside 
use  should  always  contain  enough  decayed  vege- 
table matter  (humus)  and  sand,  so  that  it  will 
never  pack  and  stay  heavy  and  wet.  Even  if 
such  soil  as  you  do  have  available  happens  to 
be  mostly  clay,  it  can  be  changed  and  made 
suitable  for  greenhouse  use  by  following  the 
suggestions  given  in  a  later  chapter. 

If,  then,  you  have  good,  rich,  mellow  old  gar- 
den soil  already  at  hand,  you  have  the  ground- 
work for  your  glass  gardening.  If  you  have  not, 
such  a  soil  may  be  made  up  quickly  by  the 
methods  suggested  on  pages  38  and  60.  Or,  for 
immediate  use,  obtain  a  quantity  of  soil  from 
any  near-by  florist  or  market  gardener.  A  few 
bushels  of  soil  will  fill  a  good  many  pots ! 

Temperature,  You  know,  no  matter  how 
little  gardening  you  have  done  outside,  that  no 
plant  will  grow  when  it  is  very  cold;  that  some 
will  grow  in  early  spring  or  late  fall,  when  it  is 
still  "chilly,"  and  that  others  will  thrive  only 
during  the  warm  weather  of  summer. 

Just  so,  in  the  glass  garden,  you  will  find  that, 
below  a  certain  temperature,  nothing  will  grow; 
that  in  a  cool  temperature  some  things  will 
thrive;  and  that  to   succeed   with   yet   others, 


What  You  Need  to  Know  7 

a  real  "hot"  house  is  needed.  But  the  beginner 
usually  has  a  lot  of  needless  worries  over  the 
"temperature  problem."  In  the  outdoor  gar- 
den you  cannot  maintain  a  special  temperature 
for  each  different  bed  of  flowers.  Asters  and 
Tea  Roses,  Snapdragons  and  Tuberous  Bego- 
nias, Lettuce  and  Butter  Beans,  grow  in  all  our 
gardens  side  by  side,  or  nearly  so.  Now  Asters 
and  Snapdragons  and  Lettuce  are  "hardy"  or 
cool-temperature  plants;  while  Tea  Roses  and 
Tuberous  Begonias  and  Beans  are  "tender,"  or 
warm-temperature  plants.  Out  of  doors,  one 
doesn't  try  to  grow  Head  Lettuce  during  the  heat 
of  midsummer,  nor  Beans  during  early  spring.  In 
other  words,  gardening  is  adjusted  to  conditions. 
It  is  just  the  same  in  the  glass  garden.  If 
you  have  a  "cool"  house  and  a  "warm"  house, 
or  a  two-compartment  house  (and  if  there  be 
only  one  house  it  should  have  this  division), 
naturally  it  gives  you  more  of  a  range  than  if 
you  have  but  one  general  house.  Where  two 
houses  are  available,  usually  one  is  run  at  45  to 
50  degrees  (night  temperature),  and  the  other 
at  55  to  60  degrees.  But  in  a  single  house,  run 
at  50  to  55  degrees,  yow  can  grow  in  a  fairly 
satisfactory  way  most  of  the  things  that  can  be 
grown  in  the  two  houses.  Asters  and  Roses, 
Snapdragons  and  Begonias,  Lettuce  and  Beans, 


8  Gardening  Under  Glass 

may  all  be  grown  in  such  a  structure.  A  little 
less  heat  for  one  of  these  things  and  a  bit  more 
for  others  would  undeniably  give  conditions  more 


You  can  grow  dozens  of  things  successfully  in  the  same  temporalure. 
The  idea,  which  some  folks  seem  to  get,  that  you  need  a  special  house 
for  such  things,  is  all  wrong. 

nearly  ideal;  but  conditions  for  outdoor  growing 
are  usually  short  of  the  ideal.  The  point  is  that, 
in  either  case,  results  that  are  generally  satis- 
factory can  reasonably  be  had  even  when  con- 
ditions are  not  ideal. 


What  You  Need  to  Know  9 

With  modern  standard  construction  and  heat- 
ing anybody  can  keep  a  house  at  the  desired 
temperature,  and  temperature  troubles  may  be 
forgotten  if  arrangements  are  made  to  provide 
about  50  degrees  for  a  single  house,  or  45  degrees 
and  55  degrees  if  you  have  two  houses.  Re- 
member, too,  that  when  greenhouse  temperatures 
are  mentioned  it  is  always  the  night  temperature, 
allowing  for  an  increase  of  say  10  degrees  by  sun 
heat  in  the  daytime. 

Soine  Points  on  Watering 

In  gardening  outdoors  dependence  for  mois- 
ture is  mostly  on  the  gentle  (or  otherwise)  dews 
from  heaven,  using  the  hose  or  some  accessory 
system  of  overhead  watering  such  as  the  Skinner 
system  only  when  the  natural  method  fails  to 
provide  adequately. 

In  the  glass  garden,  on  the  other  hand,  watering 
is  wholly  under  control.  This  has  both  advan- 
tages and  disadvantages,  but  the  former  out- 
weigh the  latter.  Getting  enough  moisture  for 
the  plants  is,  of  course,  easy — nothing  to  do  but 
turn  on  the  water.  A  thing  that  has  to  be 
learned,  however,  is  the  importance  of  keeping 
the  soil,  in  pots  or  benches  or  beds,  evenly  moist 
at  all  times.  It  might  seem  a  reasonable  guess, 
at  first  glance,  that  the  best  way  to  do  this  would 


10 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


be  to  water  a  little  every  day — not  much  at  a 
time.  But,  on  the  contrary,  as  a  general  rule 
it  is  better  to  ivater  very  thoroughly,  so  that  the 
soil  is  wet  clear  through,  and  then  withhold 
water  until  the  soil  begins-  to  get  dry. 


Light,  moisture,  temperature,  fresh  air.  You  must  keep  lu  mind  that 
these  factors,  on  which  the  welfare  of  your  plants  depends,  are  all  under 
your  control. 

Some  plants  naturally  require  more  water 
than  others — whether  indoors  or  out  of  doors, 
but  in  the  glass  garden  we  can  go  much  further 
in  taking  care  of  their  idiosyncrasies  in  this  re- 
spect. But  this  doesn't  by  any  means  mean  a 
particular  watering  schedule  for  each  class  of 
plants.     Dozens   of  different  kinds   will   thrive 


What  You  Need  to  Knoiv  11 

under  practically  the  same  amount  of  watering. 

But  the  same  plants  need  different  amounts 
of  water  at  different  seasons  of  the  year,  due 
partly,  of  course,  to  the  fact  that  there  is  much 
more  evaporation  during  the  long  hot  days  of 
spring  and  summer  than  during  the  shorter, 
darker  days  of  fall  and  winter. 

But  there  is  another  reason.  Plants  have  a 
"resting"  period.  Under  normal  growth,  out 
of  doors,  this  is  during  the  winter  months.  If, 
however,  we  take  such  plants  inside,  and  "force" 
them  to  bloom,  or  fruit,  out  of  season, we  must  let 
them  rest  after  they  have  bloomed  or  fruited. 
During  this  resting  period,  which  may  be  from 
a  few  weeks  to  a  number  of  months  in  extent, 
they  will  require  comparatively  little  water — 
only  a  fraction  of  that  needed  while  they  were  in 
active  growth,  making  new  wood,  blooming  and 
fruiting. 

Most  of  Nature's  changes  are  gradual.  In 
the  same  way,  a  gradual  change  is  made  in  in- 
creasing or  decreasing  the  amount  of  water  given 
to  plants  under  glass.  Use  common  sense  in 
avoiding  any  sudden  change  or  check,  just  as 
you  would  in  the  care  of  animals.  If  common 
sense  is  used,  the  watering  of  plants  in  the  glass 
garden  will  present  no  great  mystery  to  the 
person  who  has  gardened  out  of  doors. 


12  Gardening  Under  Glass 

The  Need  of  Light  and  Air 

Before  the  days  of  modern  greenhouse  con- 
struction there  were  dark  corners  and  shady 
strips  and  places  that  remained  wet  from  the 
"drip"  from  the  sash  bars.  So  the  practice  of 
putting  some  plants,  and  especially  seedlings, 
"near  the  glass,"  was  recommended  by  the 
old  practitioners.  Plants  did  better  "near  the 
glass";  probably  not  so  much  because  they  were 
near  the  glass,  as  because  they  were  then  away 
from  the  damp  and  shade. 

The  modern  glass  garden  is  flooded  with  light. 
Little  shade  is  cast  by  the  supporting  structure. 
There  is  no  perpetual  "dripping"  to  contend 
with.  Therefore,  the  greenhouse  builder  has 
solved  many  of  these  problems,  in  advance,  for 
the  under-glass  gardener  of  to-day. 

But  one  thing  must  be  avoided:  the  over- 
crowding of.  plaids. 

Most  plants  need  abundant  light,  and  all  need 
air.  Plants  set  too  close  together,  in  the  soil  or 
in  pots,  will  be  weak  and  spindling  and  unsatis- 
factory. Moreover,  they  are  easy  prey  for  every 
bug  and  disease  that  happens  along. 

Give  your  plants  room.  Let  them  breathe. 
Let  the  air  get  through  them.  Give  them  plenty 
of  fresh  air.     This  will  not  only  keep  the  plants 


What  You  Need  to  Know 


13 


from  shading  each  other  to  an  injuring  extent, 
but  will  avoid  the  conditions  that  are  usually  the 
cause  of  bugs  or  disease  getting  a  start;  and  it 
will  make  it  possible  to  control  them  effectually 
if  they  do  put  in  an  appearance. 


The  same  general  principles  which  you  use  successfully  outdoors  apply 
to  the  indoor  garden. 

So,  even  to  the  beginner  at  under-glass  gar- 
dening I  would  say  there  are  no  dragons  in  the 
way.  You  can  succeed  here  as  surely  and  as 
quickly  as  you  have  succeeded  with  your  outdoor 
gardening.  With  a  working  knowledge  of  plants 
and  of  plant  growth,  a  love  for  plants,  and  a 


14  Gardening  Under  Glass 

modern  glass  garden,  you  have  a  world  of  fun 
before  j^ou! 

The  one  Recreation  that  Never  Goes  Stale 

We  all  feel  the  hankering  for  gardening. 
That's  why  you'll  find  the  old,  stoop-shouldered, 
gnarled-fingered  mill-hand,  after  his  day's  work, 
out  on  his  little  patch  of  ground,  knee  deep  in 
his  garden.  And  up  on  the  hill,  far  above  the 
smoking  factories,  where  the  big  white  mansion 
is,  if  you  go  out  through  the  formal  garden  and 
tiptoe  on  the  edge  of  the  turf  you  will  surprise 
the  lady  of  the  house  in  her  own  private  patch 
which  the  gardener  does  not  dare  touch.  You 
will  find  her  there,  spending  her  little  hour  back 
in  Eden — her  hurried,  snatched  little  hour  away 
from  the  nerve-fraying  toil  of  formal  idleness  and 
all  the  irks  and  confinements  of  ''keeping  up." 

Yes,  the  Colonel's  lady  and  Judy  O'Grady 
have  the  same  need  of  their  Geraniums  and 
Heliotropes  and  Roses.  Here  is  one  recreation 
for  both — and  for  all  of  us — that  never  "grows 
stale";  that  one  never  has  to  change  from  be- 
cause it  is  always  changing  itself.  A  recreation 
that  renews  one's  vigor  and  one's  vision  at  the 
same  time;  that  sweeps  the  cobwebs  out  of  the 
brain  cells  and  lets  in  a  flood  of  sunshine  through 
the  attic  windows  of  the  soul,  where  mellow  old 


What  You  Need  to  K 


now 


15 


things  are  stored,  things  that  it  does  us  good  to 
look  at  and  ponder  over  once  in  a  while. 

Truly,  there  is  no  other  life-builder  quite  like 
gardening.  "But,"  you 
say,  "we  have  our  gar- 
dens but  a  few  months  of 
the  long  year.  During 
the  long  pull  of  winter, 
when  we  need  them  most, 
they  are  not."  But  you 
can  have  them  from 
January  to  December! 
The  feeling,  the  spirit,  the 
very  essence  of  your 
favorite  secluded  garden 
nook  you  can  have  within 
the  crystal  case  of  a  glass 
garden  of  your  own !  The 
same  sense  of  quietude,  of 
shelter,  of  disassociation 
from  the  hurry-worries 
of  workaday  routine  are  there — the  seclusion  that 
lets  you  let  down  the  bars  of  your  own  mind. 


Here,  in  a  quiet  garden  nook, 
you  can  loaf  and  invite  your 
soul. 


A   Glass    Garden 


without 
tecture ' 


Marring  the  Archi- 


How  little  play  time  we  give  our  thoughts! 
How  easy  to  lose  the  fine  sense  of  proportion  we 


16  Gardening  Under  Glass 

had  when  we  were  youngsters.  We  give  more 
time  to  some  unimportant  detail  of  a  new  coat 
than  to  getting  out  for  an  afternoon  tramp  and 
bringing  back  an  armful  of  Bayberries  or  Bitter- 
sweet, to  add  a  note  of  cheer  to  the  living  room 
for  a  twelve-month.  We  worry  more  over  the 
architectural  harmony  of  our  houses  than  we  do 
over  the  harmony  of  our  lives. 

Would  a  little  glass  garden  disturb  the  severe 
simplicity  which  we  so  handsomely  paid  our 
architect  to  achieve?  Then,  shall  we  admit  that 
it  is  not  to  be  considered?  Shall  we  give  in  to 
such  architectural  mandates,  no  matter  if  our 
vision  may  be  beginning  to  get  warped  and  our 
gray  matter  grown  a  little  mouldy,  for  want  of 
that  soul-refreshing  touch  which  only  mellow 
sunshine  and  green  growing  things  can  give? 


It  is  but  a  step  from  the  gardening  you've  been  doing  outside  to  suc- 
cess in  gardening  inside.     Come  in  antl  see  for  yourself. 


What  You  Need  to  Know  17 

But  happily  for  us  all  the  day  of  even  such  a 
trivial  objection  as  "marring  the  architecture"  is 
past;  for  the  modern  greenhouse,  small  or  large, 
can  be  so  perfectly  harmonized,  so  smoothly 
moulded  into  the  picture,  that  it  becomes  an 
added  charm,  even  architecturally. 

All  of  which  but  makes  another  reason  why 
more  and  more  of  us  should  learn  to  realize  that 
gardens  are  no  longer  dependent  upon  seasons, 
climate,  and  weather;  that  they  may  be  enjoyed 
at  will — any  time,  any  where. 


CHAPTER  II 

REBUILDING  THE  GARDEN  OF  EDEN 

What  is  your  idea  of  Eden?  If  you  had  to 
write  a  description  of  it,  you  would  find  yourself, 
at  the  end  adding  a  list  of  your  favorite  flowers 
— and,  of  course,  some  fruits.  You  might  omit 
the  apple;  but  peaches,  and  their  blushing  cous- 
ins the  nectarines;  pears;  and  "the  grape,  that 
can  with  logic  absolute,  and  two-and-seventy 
jarring  sects  confute" — for  these,  you  would 
surely  provide! 

It  doesn't  necessarily  take  a  "range"  of 
greenhouses,  with  an  imported  gardener  and  an 
expensive  corps  of  assistants,  to  do  all  of  this. 
The  fact  is,  you  can  grow  a  wide  range  of  things 
in  a  single  house;  and  in  one  house  with  a  glass 
partition  a  surpassingly  large  variety  may  be 
grown. 

The  first  greenhouse  I  ever  had  was  15  feet 
wide  and  20  feet  long.  I  cut  the  logs  from  which 
the  sashes  were  sawed,  took  them  to  the  sawmill 
and  then  to  the  planing  mill  myself.  The  glass 
was   obtained   from    old    photographers'   plates 

18 


Rebuilding  the  Garden  of  Eden 


19 


with  the  emulsion  washed  off.     The  house  was 
heated  with  an  air-tight  stove  and  a  tile  flue. 

Now  I  am  not  suggesting  that  you  experiment 
with  any  such  makeshift  house  as  that — it  is  too 
expensive,  aside  from  any  other  consideration. 
That  house  went 
to  pieces  in  five 
years,  while  a 
modern  standard 
construction  house 
will  last  nobody 
knows  how  many 
joy-filled  years. 

But  when  I  could 
crawl  into  that 
little  sunshine 
shanty,  and  take 
off  my  sheepskin 
coat;  and  smell  the  Geraniums,  and  see  their  first 
bright  flowers  opening;  and  watch  the  Cabbage 
plants  stretching  their  broad  little  leaves  to  get 
every  ray ;  and  feel  the  genial  sunshine  hitting  the 
back  of  my  neck,  and  filtering  down  the  full 
length  of  my  spine — then  I  knew  that  before  1 
had  become  the  owner  of  a  greenhouse  I  had 
never  known  the  keenest  joys  of  gardening! 
When  I  looked  out  through  that  fraction-of-an- 
inch  crystal  sheet  that  separated  my  tiny,  cozy, 


The  first  greenhouse  I  ever  owned  was 
only  15  feet  wide  and  20  feet  long.  That 
little  sunshine  shanty  showed  me  the 
real  joys  of  gardening. 


20  Gardening  Under  Glass 

fragrant  Eden-spot  from  the  snow-filled  world, 
sparkling  cold  even  in  the  noon  sun,  then  I 
marvelled  how  any  one  who  loved  flowers,  the 
touch  of  plants,  and  the  fragrance  of  fresh  earth 
could  get  along  without  an  all-year-round 
garden. 

And  I  wonder  yet. 

What  I  Greiv  in  My  First  Greer^house 

In  that  Httle  "two-by-four"  glass  garden  I 
grew — about  everything,  I  was  going  to  say. 
But  of  course  I  didn't  have  American  Beauty 
Roses,  Farleyense  Ferns,  nor  Orchids;  but  I  did 
have  Geraniums,  Heliotrope,  Daisies,  and  a 
dozen  varieties  of  Begonia.  Then  there  were 
Carnations  in  pots,  several  kinds  of  Ferns,  some 
of  the  hardier  Palms;  a  few  good  old-fashioned 
Fuchsias;  a  big  Flowering  Maple  acquired  at 
an  auction  sale;  and  a  Lemon  tree  that  the  scale 
got  the  best  of  because  I  didn't  know  what  to  do 
for  it.  There  was  Lantana,  of  repelling  odor, 
but  kept  for  its  cheery  little  rosettes  of  color; 
Tradescentia,  that  took  possession  of  all  the 
ground  under  the  benches.  German  Ivy  that 
wanted  to  run  all  over  the  place,  smothering 
everything  else.  Asparagus  plumosus,  with  its 
wonderful  green  lacery;  Oxalis  and  Ice  Plant 
blooming  their  heads  off  in  the  hanging  baskets 


Rebuilding  the  Garden  of  Eden 


21 


they  dangled  from ;  a  Cactus  that  blossomed  reg- 
ularly for  Memorial  Day,  and  an  old  Amaryllis 

These,  and  a  good  many  other  good  things. 

Vegetable  plants,  too,  I 
started  here  —  Cabbage, 
Cauliflower,  Beets,  Lettuce, 
Onion  (easiest  thing  in  the 
world  to  start  early,  and 
enable  you  to  get  those 
whacking  big  bulbs  such  as 
you  see  in  the  Fall  Exhibi- 
tions), Celery,  Peppers,  Egg- 
plants, Cucumbers,  and 
Melons. 

Incidentally,  I  sold  enough 
plants  (after  using  all  I 
needed  myself)  to  pay  back 
all  the  cash  I  had  put  into 
the  proposition. 

But  I  have  something  more  interesting  to  tell 
you  about  than  all  of  these. 

A  big  Discovery  in  a  little  Greenhouse 

The  first  spring  I  had  that  little  house  I  made 
a  big  discovery;  but  I  never  discovered  it  was  a 
discovery  until  years  later,  when  I  realized  how 
restricted  a  list  of  flowers  is  always  recom- 
mended for  "greenhouse  culture." 


Greenhouse  or  cold- 
frame  grown  Onions  with 
tops  cut  back  for  trans- 
planting in  the  garden.  It 
not  only  gives  quick 
growth  but  the  Onions 
will  be  much  larger. 


22 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


An  astonishingly  wide  range  of  things   can  be  grown  in  a  single  small 
house.     Imagine,  for  instance,  what  you  could  do  with  one  like  this. 


Get  away  from  that  ''greenhouse  culture"  re- 
striction— it  is  the  wrong  idea.  Here  is  why  I 
say  so: 

That  Httle  greenhouse  of  mine  was  built  in 
February.  It  was  made  possible  then  by  re- 
moving a  big  pile  of  manure  from  the  sunny  side 
of  a  shed.  The  manure  had  kept  the  ground 
from  freezing,  so  we  were  able  to  dig  post 
holes  and  get  some  soil  to  start  growing  things 
in. 

Now,  had  I  ever  before  worked  in  a  green- 
house, undoubtedly  it  would  not  have  occurred 
to  me  to  try  so  manj'  things.  It  wasn't  ortho- 
dox!    But  just  as  soon  as  the  ground  began  to 


Rebuilding  the  Garden  of  Eden 


23 


thaw  in  the  spring,  I  (hig  up  about  everything 
diggable,  and  put  a  sample  of  each  in  that  httle 
sun-shanty  to  see  what  would  happen:  Rhu- 
barb and  Asparagus;  Strawberries  from  the  gar- 
den; Hardy  Roses;  clumps  of  Lily-of -the- Valley; 
Hardy  Pinks;  Iris;  Phlox;  Violets;  Peonies;  even 
things  from  the  woods,  such  as  wild  Columbine, 
Crane's-bill,  and  Bloodroot. 

That,  of  course,  wasn't  orthodox  greenhouse 
procedure,  but  no  one  had  ever  told  me  any 
better!  Apparently  the  things  I  lugged  into  my 
little  garden  early  that  spring  didn't  know  any 
better,  either.     For  they  all  started  to  grow,  just 


Think  ul  yuLir  yiceiiliuuse,  not  as  a  greenhouse,  where  you  should 
grow  "greenhouse"  crops,  but  just  as  a  glassed-in  garden  where  you 
can  grow  your  own  favorite  things— flowers,  plants,  or  vegetables — any 
time  of  the  year. 


24 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


Don't  confine  yourself  to  the  regulation  greenhouse  flowers.     Grow 
your  favorite — Nasturtiums,  Daisies,  anything  you  like. 

as  they  would  a  month  or  so  later  out  of  doors. 
With  the  exception  of  one  or  two,  whose  root 
systems  had  been  too  badly  disturbed  in  the 
process  of  taking  up,  everything  flowered  as 
cheerily  and  freely  as  if  it  had  never  been 
changed. 

So  this  little  experience  coupled  with  things 
I  have  since  done,  or  seen  done,  has  made  it  very 
clear  to  me  that  the  usual  conception  of  a  green- 
house and  its  possibilities  is  a  falsely  restricted 
conception. 

Don't  think  of  it  as  a  greenhouse!  Think  of 
it  as  a  protected  garden,  where  you  can  have 


Rebuilding  the  Garden  of  Eden 


25 


your  favorite  flowers — flowers  that  will  not  grow 
outdoors  in  your  climate;  vines,  shrubs,  and  per- 
ennials; anything  you  want  at  most  any  time 
you  want  it. 

Think  of  your  glass  garden,  not  alone  as  a 
place  to  grow  these  things  in  for  cutting,  but  as 
a  storehouse  from  which  to  keep  the  living  room 
fresh  and  fragrant  with  living  plants  in  a  way 
no  cut  flowers  can  keep  it. 

Think  of  your  glass  garden  as  a  garden  of  your 
own  where  you  may  have  the  pleasure  of  gather- 
ing blooms  you  have 
grown  with  your  own 
hands.  What  a  pleasure 
to  be  able  to  send  such 
personal  messengers  of 
cheer  to  some  sick  or 
sorrowing  acquaintance ; 
with  your  card  to  say: 

"Gathered  these  this  morn- 
ing, just  for  you,  in  my  own 
glass  garden." 


Think  of  your  crystal 
garden  as  a  place  to  live 
in,  to  relax  in,  to  play  in; 
where  you  can  come  to 
know  your  flower  friends 


In  the  glass  garden  you  learn 
to  know  your  flower  friends 
even  more  intimately  than  you 
ever  know  them  outside. 


26  Gardening  Under  Glass 

even  more  intimately  than  you  have 
ever  known  them  in  your  out-of-doors 
garden. 

For  instance,  take  the  matter  of ! 

But  no!  That  will  have  to  wait.  It 
is  near  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
now,  and  I  have  six  trees  of  Apples, 
nice  sun-reddened  Baldwins,  waiting 
to  be  picked,  so  that  will  have  to  go 
over  to  the  next  chapter. 

Do  you  know  of  anything  that 
gives  as  much  fun  as  gathering  the 
fruit  you  have  watched,  sprayed,  and 
tended,  through  the  blossoming  of 
spring  and  the  growth  of  summer? 
Well,  there  is  one  thing  to  equal  it  and 
if  you  have  ever  watched  fruit  trees 
in  tubs  under  glass  slowly  awaken 
house       the  Jj^^q  jjf^  j^j^(|  burst  iuto  a  mantle  of 

greater     part 

of  the  year,     blooui  whilc  all  outsidc  is  stiU  wintry, 
vou  know  what  it  is. 


CHAPTER  III 

YOU  DECIDE  ON  A  GREENHOUSE  I  THE  FUN  BEGINS 

That  first  little  greenhouse  that  I  have  been 
telling  about  did  not  do  for  very  long.  It  was 
"crowded  to  the  gunwales"  the  first  spring,  in- 
deed. I  didn't  know  what  under  the  sun  we 
should  do  with  all  the  plants  when  fall  came 
again,  because  they  never  would  go  back  into 
that  little  house — I  could  see  that!  And  I 
wouldn't  consider  leaving  any  of  them  to  the  icy- 
fingered  mercy  of  old  General  Jack  Frost. 

I  certainly  did  a  lot  of  worrying  about  it,  but 
the  plants  didn't — they  just  went  on  growing  and 
blooming  and  helping  to  make  life  more  joyful 
for  every  one  who  came  in  sight  of  them.  Even 
when  the  rain  fell  not,  and  moisture  was  gone 
from  the  soil,  they  put  on  more  blooms ! 

But  before  the  nights  were  frost3%  the  frost 
was  provided  against.  The  owner  of  the  neighbor- 
ing place  drove  into  my  yard  one  August  day  and 
wanted  to  know  if  I  would  like  to  rent  his  place. 
A  friend  of  his  who  had  it  was  leaving  and  he 
didn't  want  the  greenhouse  that  was  on  it  un- 


28  Gardening  Under  Glass 

occupied.     I   thought  of  all  my  plants.     So  I 
took  it. 

But  here  was  a  problem.  jNIy  house  was  15 
X  20  feet,  which  equaled  300  square  feet  of 
"flower  space."  The  new  liouse  was  80  x  22,  or 
1,760  square  feet;  and  a  run  of  frames  the  entire 
length  outside  besides,  which  brings  us  to  the 
subject  of  this  chapter;  for  as  soon  as  j^ou  decide 
on  a  greenhouse  the  fun  begins.  At  least,  mine 
did. 

Getting  the  Plants  in  Advance 

Here  it  was  the  middle  of  August  and  1,760 
square  feet  of  greenhouse  space  to  fill,  and  I 
without  any  knowledge  of  what  to  get  and  the 
necessity  of  making  that  house  pay  its  wa3^ 

Luckily,  the  man  who  was  working  for  me  was 
not  quite  ignorant  of  greenhouse  work.  In  fact, 
he  had  had  considerable  experience  on  that  very 
place.  But  that  wasn't  all!  He  was  one  of 
those  natural-born  plant  hypnotizers — the  kind 
that  can  stick  a  dead  twig  upside  down  in  the 
ground,  and  when  you're  not  looking  will  say 
some  mysterious  formula  over  it  and  have  it 
sprouting  green  in  a  fortnight.  You  have  met 
that  sort?  So  far  as  I  have  ever  been  able  to 
solve  the  mysterj^  it  is  just  a  love  of  growing 
things,  so  strong  that  it  outbalances  gravity,  and 


You  Decide  on  a  Greenhouse  29 

pulls  the  beauty  that  is  in  all  the  common  earth 
at  our  feet  right  up  into  leaf  and  flower,  color 
and  perfume.  Weird,  maybe,  but  what  a  lot  of 
that  brand  of  weirdness  the  world  could  stand ! 

Well,  to  get  back  to  those  1,760  feet!  When 
we  had  cleaned  it  out,  and  all  the  old  pots  and 
dead  plants  picked  up,  it  did  look  as  big  as  the 
inside  of  a  barn — bigger,  indeed — big  as  an  ar- 
mory, in  fact. 

We  had  six  weeks  in  which  to  get  ready  to  fill  it 
before  we  took  possession,  which  is  much  the  same 
situation  you  will  surely  have  while  w^aiting  for 
your  house  to  be  put  up  and  turned  over  to  you, 
with  the  heat  turned  on.  It  always  happens 
that  way! 

Preparing  the  Filling  for  the  Glass  Garden 

Here's  how  we  did  it.  I  am  telling  this,  not 
so  much  to  show  that  it  is  not  an  expensive 
matter  to  "stock"  a  greenhouse,  as  to  give  an 
idea  of  how  one  may  go  about  having  the  wonder- 
ful fun  of  filling  the  glass  garden,  almost  with 
one's  own  hands,  right  at  the  start. 

From  what  we  did,  the  reader  can  see  what 
another  can  do — always  keeping  in  mind  that  the 
greenhouse  is  a  garden  wherein  can  be  had  what 
you  will  (within  reason),  when  you  will,  and  how 
you  will. 


30  Gardening  Under  Glass 

First  of  all,  I  went  to  a  neighboring  town,  and 
spent  the  day  visiting  the  several  greenhouse 
establishments  there,  and  still,  looking  back  upon 
that  occasion  as  one  of  the  big  days  in  my  life. 


By  starting  in  advance,  you  can  have  scores  of  plants,  half  grown  and 
in  bloom,  ready  to  put  on  the  benches  the  minute  your  house  is  completed. 

wonder  why  everybody  does  not  want  to  be  in  the 
greenhouse  business. 

The  thing  that  did  surprise  me,  however,  was 
the  fact  that  the  greenhouses  did  not  grow  more 
kinds  of  flowers.  There  would  be  whole  houses 
of  Carnations,  or  Roses,  or  Lilies,  without  an- 
other kind  of  plant.  And  most  of  the  little  old- 
fashioned  kinds  of  plants  that  I  wanted,  the 
growers  didn't  bother  with! 


You  Decide  on  a  Greenhouse  31 

But  at  last  I  ran  across  an  old-fashioned,  more 
or  less  antiquated  place  that  came  nearer  my  idea 
of  what  a  greenhouse  ought  to  be.  Old  vines, 
some  of  which  had  evidently  been  growing  there 
for  years,  covered  the  north  walls.  There  were 
shelves  and  hanging  baskets ;  things  tucked  away 
under  the  sunny  sides  of  the  benches — dozens  of 
different  kinds  of  things.  In  some  places  there 
were  little  narrow  walks  one  had  to  squeeze 
through  sidewise  to  avoid  brushing  the  vines 
that  hung  down  from  the  benches;  and  doors 
you  had  to  stoop  to  get  under.  Horribly  ineffi- 
cient, undoubtedly,  compared  to  those  modern 
light,  airy,  open  ranges  I  had  been  through;  but 
what  a  place  to  spend  one's  days  in!  Surely, 
eating  one's  bread  in  the  sweat  of  one's  brow 
would  not  be  a  severe  life  sentence  here! 

From  the  old  fellow  who  owned  this  place, 
with  an  accent  as  strong  as  his  pipe,  and  speech 
as  knobbly  as  his  knuckles,  I  secured  just  the 
kind  of  an  assortment  of  plants  I  wanted.  He 
took  as  much  interest  in  my  new  venture  as 
though  he  were  a  long-lost  uncle,  and  put  in 
extra  things — cuttings  of  this  and  that;  gave  me 
minute  instructions  about  the  idiosyncrasies  of 
each;  warned  me  against  coddling  them  too 
much ;  and  made  a  final  urge  to  come  again  soon 
and  spend  the  day. 


32  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Of  course,  this  old  enthusiast  was  not  making 
the  money  that  his  more  up-to-date  competitors 
did;  but  I  wondered  if  he  wasn't  getting  more 
out  of  his  greenhouses. 

How  We  Made  a  Start — From  Seeds  and  Cuttings 

Arriving  home,  I  found  that  Pat  had  rigged  up 
a  couple  of  frames  in  my  absence — regular  3x6 
feet  size,  such  as  can  readily  be  made  by  any  one 
out  of  a  few  boards;  or  may  be  bought  ready- 
made,  ready  to  go  together  in  a  jiffy,  with  the 
handy  corner  cleats  that  bolt  them  together. 

One  of  these  frames  we  filled  with  sand,  for 
starting  cuttings.  (You  want  to  know  what 
kind  of  sand  and  how  much  soil;  and  mayhap, 
what  a  "cutting"  is.^^  Of  all  that,  in  good  time.) 
For  the  present  let  us  consider  what  can  be  done 
— starting  with  nothing,  a  few  weeks'  time,  and 
some  enthusiasm. 

From  seed  we  started :  Lettuce  plants,  to  have 
ready  for  setting  out  under  glass;  a  few  Beets, 
just  enough  for  an  experiment,  for  our  own  use; 
the  following  flowers — one  small  packet  of  seed 
of  each,  in  most  cases — Begonias,  several  sorts, 
so  we  could  have  our  pick  of  the  most  attractive 
varieties;  Heliotrope — the  same  way;  Petunias, 
Ageratum,  "Irish"  Daisies,  as  Patrick  insisted 
on  calling  them,  because  they  grow  wild  in  that 


You  Decide  on  a  Greenhouse  33 

wild  little  Island — though  the  catalogues  call 
them  Bellis  perennis  or  "English"  Daisies. 
Then  there  were  Candytuft,  Lobelia,  Stocks,  and 
Mignonette  for  cut  flowers — and  for  fragrance. 


So  the  next  step,  once  you've  decided  on  a  glass  garden,  is  to  start 
ings  to  go  into  it^flowers  for  cutting,  plants  for  winter  and  spring,  and 


th    „        . 
vegetables 

Just  for  my  own  amusement,  some  Forget-me- 
nots,  Portulaca,  some  Pansies,  to  bloom  in  the 
winter,  and  Salpiglossis  (the  latter  not  for  its 
name,  but  because  I  had  read  about  it  in  a  maga- 
zine), and  wanted  to  see  what  that  wonderful 
"velvety  texture"  was  like. 

All  in  one  Frame 

"All  these  in  one  frame,"  do  you  say?     "Yes, 
Ma'am.     In  the  other  frame  we  put  cuttings  of 


34  Gardening  Under  Glass 

all  the  plants  I  already  had  from  my  little  15  x  20 
foot  greenhouse;  such  as  Geraniums,  Begonias, 
and  Ice  Plant"  (Mesembryanthemum  it  is  called 
in  the  catalog).  Right  here  let  me  remark  that 
if  the  seedsmen's  business  could  be  killed  by 
names,  it  would  have  been  buried  long  ago. 
And  all  others  mentioned  in  the  last  chapter. 

Did  you  ever  grow  plants  from  cuttings?  If 
not,  you  may  find  some  helpful  suggestions  in  the 
next  few  pages.  We  pretty  much  cut  to  pieces 
all  the  new  plants  I  had  bought,  to  get  all  the 
cuttings  we  could  from  them. 

Of  course,  all  of  these  are  simple  little  things — 
for  some  of  them  you  may  not  care  at  all ;  but  the 
point  is,  you  can  begin  to  have  your  fun  choos- 
ing the  things  you  want,  selecting  them,  growing 
them  yourself,  if  you  like,  as  soon  as  you  know 
you  are  going  to  have  a  winter  garden. 

As  you  will  see,  with  the  aid  of  frames  you  can 
have  a  whole  garden  full  of  things  ready  to  go 
into  your  glass  garden  the  moment  the  roof  is  on. 


CHAPTER  IV 

HOW  TO  SUCCEED  WITH  SEEDS 

Creating  a  thing  is  always  a  more  joy- 
giving  achievement  than  merely  possessing  it. 
To  get  all  the  fun  there  is  in  glass  gardening, 
of  course,  it  is  essential  to  know  how  to  grow 
your  own  plants,  as  well  as  to  take  care  of 
them. 

To  be  skillful  at  the  art  of  starting  plants 
from  seed  is  to  know  the  pleasure  of  feel- 
ing that  you  can  add  at  will  to  the  variety 
or  the  amount  of  the  things  in  your  glass 
garden. 

Fortunately,  when  I  had  the  problem  of  filling 
the  suddenly  acquired  greenhouse,  I  had  had 
some  past  experience  in  starting  plants  from  seed 
to  fall  back  on.  But  I  soon  found  that  there 
was  a  lot  more  to  learn. 

What  I  learned  from  experience  I  wish,  so  far 
as  possible,  to  save  another  beginner  from  having 
to  experiment  over.  So  in  this  chapter  we  are 
going  into  details. 


36  Gardening  Under  Glass 

The  First  Thing  Is  the  Importance  of  the  "Make 
Ready''' 

The  first  thing  I  learned  was  that  the  most 
important  part  of  the  work  of  growing  plants 
from  seed  is  done  before  you  touch  the  seed. 
It  is  in  the  "make  ready"  that  success  or  failure 
lies  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten. 

Now,  a  seed  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful  pieces 
of  mechanism  ever  devised.  Compared  to  a 
seed,  the  most  ingenuous  time-bomb  ever  put 
together  is  a  crude,  clumsy  affair.  Think  of  it! 
In  a  spherical  shell,  so  small  in  many  cases  as  to 
be  almost  microscopical,  is  stored  material  which 
is  capable  of  exploding  the  shell  when  the  proper 
conditions  arise,  a  week,  a  month,  or  years  later; 
and  not  merely  that,  but  also  of  feeding  the  deli- 
cate living  organism  produced  until  it  can  sup- 
port itself,  in  its  own  wonderful  way,  from  the  soil. 

So,  when  you  stop  to  think  of  it,  the  wonder 
is  not  that  there  are  some  failures  in  getting  seeds 
to  grow,  but  that  there  are  any  successes.  The 
mere  physical  feat  performed  by  the  tiny  sprout 
in  forcing  its  way  up  through  what,  in  compari- 
son to  its  size,  is  a  gigantic  layer  of  stones  and 
soil,  should  make  it  obvious  that  only  favorable 
conditions  can  bring  success. 

The  favorable  conditions,  of  course,  are  mois- 


Hoic  to  Succeed  ivith  Seeds  37 


A  seed  "flat"  prepared  for  seed  sowing.  i.Side  rcnioved  to  show  cross- 
section.)  First,  a  layer  of  rough  material — oyster  shells,  broken  pots, 
or  coarse  screenings.  Next,  sphagnum  moss.  And,  on  top,  finely  sifted, 
light  soil. 

tiire  and  temperature  in  the  right  degree,  and  an 
abundance  of  hght. 

With  a  modern  greenhouse,  where  the  abun- 
dance of  hght  and  the  temperature  are  readily 
controlled,  the  thing  one  must  take  most  pains 
in  providing  is  the  right  moisture  conditions. 
To  do  that  it  is  necessary  to  provide  soil  that  is 
light  and  spongy;  soil  that  will  not  make  a  crust. 
Ordinary  garden  soil  is  absolutely  un suited  for  the 
starting  of  fine  seeds.  To  insure  success,  make  up 
(compost)  a  soil  especially  for  the  purpose. 


38  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Starting  Rigid,  ivith  the  Right  Soil 

In  making  our  start,  therefore,  we  went  out 
into  the  woods  and  got  several  big  burlap  bags 
full  of  leaf  mold.  This  we  found  along  an  old 
stone  wall  where  the  leaves  had  piled  up  and 
rotted  year  after  year.  We  rubbed  this  through 
a  wire  screen  of  one-quarter-inch  mesh.  An  or- 
dinary coal  sieve  will  answer  every  purpose 
for  small  quantities.  This  gave  a  fine,  light, 
woodsy-smelling  material  that  it  was  a  pleasure 
to  take  up  by  the  handful  and  let  run  through 
one's  fingers.  Then  from  a  flower  bed  we  got 
a  quantity'  of  rich  mellow  soil,  that  had  had  lots 
of  manure  dug  into  it  in  the  previous  spring. 
That  was  sifted,  to  eliminate  any  pebbles,  and 
the  two  products  were  mixed  together  in  propor- 
tion of  about  one  part  of  soil  to  two  parts,  by 
bulk,  of  the  leaf  mold. 

The  result  of  all  this  was  a  nice,  light,  smooth- 
feeling  soil  that  you  would  know  instinctively 
was  ideal  for  the  little  seeds  to  sprout  and  grow 
in. 

Now,  a  soil  like  this  will  let  any  surplus  water 
drain  through  it  immediately,  and  yet  it  will 
absorb  enough  moisture  to  stay  moist  a  long  time 
before  it  is  necessary  to  water  it  again.  Further- 
more, the  surface  will  never  form  a  crust,  such  as 


How  to  Succeed  with  Seeds  39 

ordinary  soil  forms  when  it  gets  dry  on  top,  mak- 
ing it  impossible  for  the  little  seedlings  to  break 
throngh.  The  beauty  of  it  is  you  can  prepare 
as  much  of  this  mixture  as  you  want  at  one  time 
and  store  it  away  in  a  barrel  or  bin  for  future  use. 
A  six  months'  or  year's  supply  can  be  made  in  a 
few  hours. 

Maybe  you  are  not  fortunate  enough  to  be 
where  you  can  get  out  into  the  fragrant  woods 
to  gather  your  own  leaf  mould.  Of  course,  you 
can  easily  bring  home  a  bagful  or  two  in  the  car, 
or  you  can  get  cocoanut  fibre  at  the  nearest  flor- 
ist or  seed  store,  to  use  in  place  of  leaf  mould. 
Commercial  "Prepared  Humus"  is  also  very 
good. 

Preparing  the  Soil  for  Sowing 

Having  provided  the  bedclothes,  the  next 
thing,  of  course,  is  to  make  up  the  bed.  The 
soil  may  be  put  right  into  a  frame  or  in  a  bench 
in  the  greenhouse.  But  there  are  several  advan- 
tages in  using  "flats."  The  work  can  be  done 
more  conveniently;  each  individual  lot  of  seeds 
can  be  watched  and  controlled  more  readily;  and 
when  the  little  plants  are  big  enough  to  put  into 
other  flats,  the  work  can  be  done  at  leisure  on  a 
bench  of  convenient  height,  in  a  comfortable 
place. 


40 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


There  is  nothing"  mysterious  about  a  "flat." 
It  is  merely  a  Hght  box  of  convenient  size  and 
two  to  three  inches  deep — two  inches  being 
enough  for  starting  most  seeds,  while  three  inches 
is  better  for  transplanting  and  for  cuttings.     An 

easy  way  to  make 
flats  is  to  get  a 
supply  of  one-by- 
two  and  one-by- 
three-inch  boards 
for  the  ends,  and 
use  ordinary  build- 
ing  lath  for  the 
sides  and  bottom. 
Put  on  the  bottom 
strips  about  a 
quarter  of  an  inch 
apart  to  allow  for  drainage.  Or  saw  wooden 
cracker  boxes  into  strips  and  bore  holes  in  the 
bottom.  You  will  find  a  few  "seed  pans"  as 
made  by  the  potteries  handy  for  starting  in- 
dividual varieties  in  small  lots. 

To  prepare  the  flat  or  seed  pan  for  sowing, 
first  put  in  a  layer  of  the  coarse  screenings  left 
from  the  leaf  mould  when  it  was  rubbed  through 
the  sieve  or  use  sphagnum  moss.  The  moss  you 
can  gather  yourself  in  most  swampy  places;  or 
it  may  be  purchased  from  any  florist. 


"Seed  pans"  are  the  things  to  start 
small  seeds  in.  Have  an  assortment  of 
sizes  on  hand. 


Holo  to  Succeed  with  Seeds  41 

Cover  this  bottom  layer  with  the  prepared 
soil,  filling  the  box,  and  pressing  well  down  into 
the  corners  and  along  the  sides.  Give  the  soil  a 
thorough  watering  with  a  fine  spray;  or  better 
still  place  the  flat  or  seed  pan  in  a  tray  or  basin 
so  that  it  may  soak  up  the  water  from  the  bottom 
until  the  moisture  appears  on  the  surface.  This 
is  better  than  watering,  because  it  gives  the  soil 
a  chance  to  absorb  absolutely  all  the  moisture 
it  will  hold  without  getting  the  surface  wet. 

Sowing  the  Seed 

Open  the  packages  carefully,  for  some  seed, 
such  as  Begonia,  is  so  fine  that  a  breath  will  blow 
it  away.  These  very  fine  seeds  should  be  merely 
dusted  on  the  surface  and  pressed  lightly  into  the 
soil  with  a  small  block  of  wood.  Shreds  of 
sphagnum  moss  may  be  laid  on  the  surface  to 
keep  the  little  seeds  shaded  and  moist,  or  they 
may  be  placed  in  a  rather  dark  place  until  the 
seeds  begin  to  sprout.  Verj^  careful  watch  must 
be  kept,  however,  for  they  need  full  light  from 
the  moment  they  begin  to  come  through  the 
soil. 

For  slightly  larger  seeds,  such  as  can  be  taken 
between  the  thumb  and  finger  and  scattered  in 
the  row,  mark  off  with  the  point  of  a  lead  pencil 
little  lines  in  the  surface  of  the  soil,  two  or  three 


42  Gardening  Under  Glass 

inches  apart  and  as  shallow  as  you  can  get  them 
— just  deep  enough  for  the  seed  to  drop  into. 
These  should  be  barely  covered  by  sifting  a 
little  soil  over  them,  and  ge-ntly  pressing  down 
the. surface.  vStill  larger  seeds  may  be  put  in  and 
covered  to  a  depth  of  two  or  three  times  their 
own  diameter. 

Covering  the  flat  or  seed  pan  with  a  pane  of 
glass  after  planting  is  not  always  necessary,  but 
the  results  are  so  much  more  certain  that  it  is 
well  worth  doing.  Leave  a  little  "chink  of  air" 
or  an  opening  along  one  edge.  The  i)urpose  of 
the  glass  is  to  prevent  evaporation  while  at  the 
same  time  keeping  the  surface  of  the  soil  around 
the  seed  moist.  This  makes  germination  surer 
and  cjuicker. 

The  temperature  in  which  most  seeds  should 
be  kept  after  sowing  is  from  60  to  65  degrees  (at 
night).  The  seeds  of  plants  such  as  Begonia, 
Heliotrope,  and  others  in  the  "warm"  list  as 
given  on  page  85,  require  10  to  15  degrees  higher 
than  this. 

Seeds  will  germinate  quicker  if  given  what  is 
called  "bottom  heat";  that  is,  if  the  fiats  or  seed 
pans  may  be  placed  on  a  bench  directly  over 
heating  pipes ;  or  they  may  be  placed  directly  on 
the  pipes,  provided  proper  care  is  taken  not  to 
let  them  dry  out. 


How  to  Succeed  with  Seeds  43 

Care  of  the  Seedlings 

Immediately  the  little  seedlings  break  through 
the  soil  they  must  be  given  light.  They  should 
also  get  plenty  of  fresh  air.  During  this  period 
give  water  with  the  greatest  care,  using  a  fine 
hose  or  spray,  watering  early  in  the  morning  on 
bright  days  only,  so  that  the  leaves  and  surface 
of  the  soil  can  dry  off  before  night.  Better  still, 
use  the  watering  tray  previously  described. 
Damping-off  is  a  troublesome  disease  which 
may  appear  at  this  stage.  It  causes  the  sudden 
wilt  and  death  and  rotting  of  the  young  plants. 
For  treatment  see  Chapter  IX.  If  the  little  seed- 
lings come  up  so  thick  that  they  begin  to  crowd 
right  at  the  start,  don't  hesitate  to  thin  them 
out;  remembering  that  a  couple  of  dozen  good 
plants  are  far  better  than  a  hundred  or  more 


It  is  important  to  transplant  the  seedlings  immediately  when  they  are 
ready.  Those  at  the  left  (above)  have  been  left  too  long.  Those  at 
right  are  barely  big  enough.     But  (see  next  illustration) 


44 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


that  are  good  for  nothing.     Overcrowding  is  one 

of  the  most  frecjuent  causes  of  faihu-e  in  plant 

growing  both  outdoors  and  indoors. 

In  from  three  to  six  weeks  the  httle  seedhngs 

will  be  big  enough  for  transplanting.  They  are 
transferred  from  the  seed 
l)ox  to  other  flats  or  to 
small  pots;  or,  in  some 
instances,  directly  to  the 
benches  where  they  are 
to  be  grown.  In  most 
cases  flats  should  be  used 
for  this  first  transplant- 
ing. 


These  are  "just  right" — the 
second  true  leaf  showing,  and 
the  roots  still  short  enough,  so 
they  all  come  out  with  the 
plant. 


The  Art  of  Tratisplanting 

A  flat  prepared  for 
transplanting  differs 
somewhat  from  one  for 
seed  sowing,  a  layer  of  well-rotted  sifted  manure 
being  put  in  the  bottom  in  place  of  screenings  or 
sphagnum  moss  when  sowing  seeds.  A  little 
manure  also  may  be  mixed  with  the  soil,  which 
otherwise  should  be  the  same  as  used  for  starting 
the  seed,  except  that  the  proportion  of  soil  to 
the  leaf  mould  may  also  be  greater. 

Several  hours  before  transplanting  give  the 
seedlings  a  thorough  watering.     This  will  leave 


How  to  Succeed  with  Seeds 


45 


the  soil  moist  enough  to  allow  the  tender  little 
roots  to  come  out  readily,  and  dry  enough  to 
handle  without  being  sticky  and  mussy.  When 
ready  to  begin  take  out  one  or  two  of  the  little 
plants  at  a  time,  using  a  fiat  pointed  stick  or  a 
transplanting  fork,  and  spread  out  on  a  piece  of 


Holding  tlie  top  of  tlic  seeilliiif;'  yenlly  hclwcen  llie  thumb  and  fore- 
finger, you  lower  the  roots  down  into  the  hole,  and  then  press  the  soil 
firmly  about  it. 

glass  or  a  shingle  so  that  they  can  be  picked  up 
readily. 

In  transplanting,  most  seedlings  should  be  set 
considerably  deeper  than  they  were  growing, 
usually  almost  up  to  the  two  seed-leaves.  Make 
a  hole  in  the  loose,  moist  soil  with  your  finger 
tip,  or  a  small  wooden  dibble  or  pointed  stick  if 
you  prefer — and,  holding  the  little  plant  gently 


46  Gardening  Under  Glass 

by  the  top,  lower  it  into  position  and  press  the 
soil  firmly  about  it  with  tips  of  the  thumbs  and 

the    forefingers. 

Practice     will 

enable   you  to  do 

the   work   quickly 

Flat  of  Lettuce  showing  distance  apart        and     UCatlv.       The 
for  the  plants  l',,i  i        \  i 

little  plants  when 
set  should  stand  up  stiffly  and  be  firm  in  the  soil. 
Don't  be  afraid  to  put  them  in  deep  and  press 
the  soil  firm.  If  after  transplanting  they  wilt 
like  a  fat  man's  high  collar  on  a  hot  day,  some- 
thing is  wrong  with  your  method. 

Immediately  after  transplanting,  give  a  thor- 
ough watering,  using  a  very  fine  spray  so  as  not 
to  knock  over  the  little  seedlings;  or,  better  sti 
use  the  method  for 
watering  from  the 
bottom,  already 
described. 

Keep  the  newly 
set     seedlings 

shaded      from      the  Left,,,,   i,,   a    so.lllal    that    has  been 

sun     for     several     plungt'dinapai,  of  walcraftertransphmt- 
ing  so  it  will  be  absorbed  from  the  bottom 
days,    but     do    not     without  disturbing  the  plants  or  packing 
,  .  , .,      the  soil. 

water  agam    until 

the  soil  really  needs  it.     If  it  is  hot  and  the  plants 

show  a   tendency  to  wilt,  a  very  light  sprin- 


iiiie  seeanngs;  or,  oetter  sun, 


How  to  Succeed  with  Seeds  47 

kllng,  or  a  syringing  of  the  leaves,  will  help  keep 
them  fresh. 

In  three  or  four  days  the  plants  should  be 
"established."  From  then  on  give  them  plenty 
of  fresh  air  and  general  good  care. 


CHAPTER  V 


THE    MAGIC    TOUCH 


If  I  were  worth  many  millions,  and  had  seven- 
teen greenhouses,  I  wouldn't  let  my  gardener 
have  the  fun  of  doing  all  the  "propagating." 

Have  you  ever  tried  it?  Have  you  ever  se- 
lected a  plant,  maybe  a  special  shade  of  color, 
or  a  brand-new  seedling  dis- 
covered in  your  own  garden, 
and  set  about  making  new 
plants  from  that  one  speci- 
men? Knowing  that  if  you 
failed,  it  would  perish  forever 
from  the  earth?  Knowing 
that  if  you  were  successful 
you  could  have  dozens,  scores, 
hundreds,  if  you  wanted,  of  that  particular  flower 
to  fill  your  garden,  and  give  away  to  your 
friends?  Something  individual,  personal,  your 
own  creation,  that  they  could  get  nowhere  else 
in  all  the  world? 

Now,  in  the  minds  of  many  folks,  the  art  of 
propagating  plants  is  looked  upon  as  more  or  less 

48 


The  Magic  Touch 


The  Magic  Touch  49 

of  a  mystery;  a  sort  of  a  "black  art"  that  has 
hung  over  from  the  Middle  Ages ;  that  only  those 
in  the  magic  circle  are  entitled  to  acquire,  as 
the  result  of  a  lifetime  of  patient  practice. 

Don't  you  believe  any  such  thing!  If  you 
have  been  successful  with  your  flowers  and  vege- 
tables outside,  so  that  you  know  in  general  what 
plants  need  to  keep  them  happy  and  contented, 
you  can  be  successful  with  under-glass  propagation 
of  a  great  variety  of  flowers  the  first  time  you  try. 

How  to  do  all  this  may  be  learned  from  the 
following  pages  alone.  But,  better  yet,  if  there 
is  a  greenhouse  near  you,  where  you  can  get  the 
owner  or  the  gardener  to  show  you  how  to  handle 
cuttings  and  plants  from  seed,  take  advantage  of 
the  opportunity. 

The  best  way  to  see  how  to  do  a  thing  is  to  see 
how  it  is  done.     There's  no  argument  about  that ! 

Well,  to  start  at  the  beginning,  I  don't  know 
of  any  better  way  than  to  tell  about  what  we 
did  in  getting  ready  to  fill  that  empty  house. 
I  had  never  had  much  experience  making  plants 
from  plants  up  till  then.  I  never  found  any 
work  more  fascinating;  and  since  then,  though 
I  have  made  many  thousands,  the  fascination 
remains  as  great  as  ever.  Just  what  there  is 
about  it  that  so  fascinates  I  really  do  not  know, 
but  somehow  it  seems  as  though  one  could  pat 


50  Gardening  Under  Glass 

oneself  on  the  back  for  a  more  intimate  share  in 
the  partnership  with  Nature  than  is  the  case  when 
raising  phmts  from  seeds.  Anyway,  here  is  how 
to  go  about  it. 

All  the  cuttings  made  that  fall — like  most  of 
those  the  reader  will  have  to  make  in  growing  his 
own  plants — were  what  are  called  "soft-wood" 
cuttings.  That  is,  they  are  taken  from  the  soft, 
immature  growth  of  the  plants  instead  of  from 
the  old,  hard  parts. 

How  to  Make  the  Cuttings 

To  test  whether  the  condition  of  the  "wood" 
is  right  for  making  a  soft-wood  cutting,  bend  it 
between  the  thumb  and  finger.  If  it  "snaps," 
like  a  butter-l^ean  in  prime  condition  for  table 
use,  it  is  all  right;  if  it  bends  and  doubles  without 
breaking,  it  is  too  old  and  tough;  or,  in  the  case 
of  the  new  growth,  too  soft  and  watery. 

The  cutting — sometimes  called  a  "slip" — may 
be  anywhere  from  an  inch  and  a  half  to  several 
inches  long.  Usually  the  cutting  is  made  just 
at  or  below  a  joint,  but  this  is  not  necessary  with 
all  kinds  of  plants.  Use  a  sharp  knife  to  make 
the  cuttings  so  as  to  have  a  clean,  smooth  edge. 
The  cut  usually  is  slighth^  slanting.  Remove  all 
the  lower  leaves,  and  cut  back  the  upper  leaves 
about  a  half  to  two  thirds. 


The  Magic  Touch 


51 


These  cuttings  are  inserted  in  pure,  plain  sand 
to  root;  the  sand  being  in  seed  pans,  in  flats,  or  in 
a  bench  in  the  greenhouse.  If  the  greenhouse 
bench  be  selected  it  is  usually  one  directly  over 


Each  little  piece,  or  "cutting,"  from  the  parent  plant  will  grow  into  a 
full-sized  new  plant.  The  lower  leaves  are  removed,  and  the  largest  of 
those  remaining  are  cut  back. 

heating  pipes,  as  the  cuttings  will  root  much 
more  rapidly  with  "bottom  heat."  The  sand 
should  be  at  least  three  inches  in  depth,  and 
remember  that  good  drainage  is  just  as  essential 
as  in  preparing  for  the  planting  of  seed. 


52 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


Soineono  told  me  that  I  liad  to  have  pure 
"river  sand,"  and  I  went  to  considerable  trouble 
to  get  it;  since  then  have  learned,  in  traveling 
around,  that  brown,  red,  vellow,  or  "silver"  sand 


After  the  cuttings  are  inserted  in  the  sand  tliey  shouhl  preferably  be 
put  where  they  will  get  "bottom  heat" — on  a  shelf  or  a  bench  directly  over 
heating  pipes. 

will  do  just  as  well.  The  color  makes  no  differ- 
ence; the  necessity  is  that  it  be  "sharp,"  not 
water  worn.  All  you  need  is  clear,  gritty  sand, 
free  from  dirt  and  fine  enough  to  pack  snugly 
around  the  cuttings  and  hold  them  upright,  but 


The  Magic  Touch  53 

not  so  fine  as  to  run  together  and  exclude  the  air, 
Hke  sea  sand.  Ordinary  builders'  sand,  such  as 
is  used  for  concrete  or  stucco  work,  is  the  thing. 
Any  impurities  can  be  quickly  got  out  by  filling 
a  bucket,  a  pail,  or  a  bushel  measure  fairly  full 
and  then  pushing  the  end  of  a  hose  down  to  the 
bottom,  letting  the  water  overflow  at  the  top  to 
carry  off  soil  and  other  impurities  with  it. 

Rooting  the  Cuttings 

Cuttings  should  be  put  in  the  sand  within  a 
few  hours  after  making;  and  if  they  have  wilted, 
soak  them  in  water  for  an  hour  or  two  to  freshen. 
The  cuttings  may  be  put  in  with  a  dibble  or  a 
spike — anything,  indeed,  to  make  a  hole  about 
the  size  of  the  cutting.  Or  rows  may  be  marked 
oft'  and  cuttings  set  in  as  close  as  they  will  go 
without  crowding  each  other.  Then  give  them 
a  thorough  watering.  Keep  shaded  for  a  few 
days  and  do  not  water  again  until  the  surface  is 
quite  dry.  Prevent  wilting  by  syringing  several 
times  a  day  in  hot,  dry  weather,  if  necessary. 
If  using  a  frame  during  the  summer,  it  is  well  to 
put  a  shade  over  it,  a  foot  or  two  above  it, 
to  allow  a  free  circulation  of  air. 

The  cuttings  will  begin  to  "strike  root"  in 
from  fifteen  days  to  several  weeks,  according  to 
conditions  and  the  kind  of  plant.     Some  things 


54  Gardening  Under  Glass 

take  a  very  long  time  to  root.  If,  upon  exami- 
nation, the  bottom  of  the  cutting  seems  to  be  cal- 
lousing over  without  showing  any  sign  of  decay, 

you  may  be 
pretty  sure 
things  are 
going  rightly, 
even  if  there  is 
a  long  time  be- 
fore there  is  any 
sign  of  roots. 

Once  the  lit- 
tle   roots    do 
A  common  mis- 
l  before  potting. 


I  few  weeks  the  new  roots  will  start. 
Don't  let  them  get  longer  than  this  before 
potting. 


start,  they  grow  very  rapidly, 
take  is  to  let  them  grow  too  \om 
As  soon  as  they  are  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
long,  the  cuttings  should  be  taken  out  and  potted 
up.  Their  condition  may  be  determined  by  tak- 
ing up  one  or  two  of  the  cuttings  and  examining 
the  ends,  replacing  them  promptly,  of  course. 
Use  soil  same  as  described  for  transplanting 
seedlings,  with  a  little  sand  added. 

Pot    Thein  up   before  the  Roots   Get  Long 

For  the  first  potting,  very  small  pots  or 
"thumb  pots"  are  used;  2  inch  for  most  things; 
2J  inches  or  3  inches  for  larger  cuttings,  such  as 
(leraniums. 


The  Magic  Touch 


55 


In  potting  up,  fill  the  pot  about  level  full  of 
freshly  sifted,  loose,  moist  soil;  make  a  hole  in 
the  centre  with  the  forefinger;  place  the  cutting 
in  position,  putting  it  well  down  to  the  first  pair 
of  leaves  and  being  careful  not  to  break  off  the 
little  roots.  Then  hold  the  two  thumbs  over  the 
top  of  the  pot  to  keep  the  cuttings  in  position, 
and  rap  the  bottom  of  the  pot  sharply  against 
the  bench  to  pack  the  soil  in  the  pot.  A  final 
extra  pressure  with  the  balls  of  the  thumbs  may 
be  given  if  required.  The  little  cutting  should 
be  in  so  firmly  that  it  will  not  readily  pull  out. 

The  pots  are 

usually  placed, 
as  they  are 
finished,  in  a 
flat,  and  given 
a  thorough 
watering.  A 
convenient 
way  is  to  keep 
them  in  the  flat 
for  several 
days,  under  a 
bench,  or  in  the 
potting  shed  or 

workroom,    so  And  first  thing  you  know,  while  they're 

,  1  •111  still  babies,  they'll  begin  blooming  like  grown- 

they  will  be      up  plants! 


56  Gardening  Under  Glass 

shaded.  As  soon  as  they  seem  to  be  estabhshed 
in  the  pots,  transfer  them  to  a  frame  or  a  bench 
in  the  greenhouse.  These  pots  are  usually 
"plunged"  half  their  depth  in  soil  or  ashes,  so 
as  to  prevent  their  being  knocked  over,  and  to 
keep  them  from  drying  out  too  rapidly. 

Until  new  growth  begins,  water  is  to  be  given 
rather  sparingly,  just  enough  to  keep  the  soil 
fairly  moist  and  the  plants  from  wilting.  Once 
established,  these  little  plants  will  grow  very 
rapidly.  Many  things  will  begin  to  bloom  in 
these  little  2-inch  pots! 

For  general  care  after  growth  begins,  and  di- 
rections for  re-potting,  see  Chapter  VIII. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE    FASCINATING    ART     OF    SOIL    BUILDING 

When  you  hold  up  a  Carnation  and  inhale  its 
spicy  fragrance;  touch  the  satin  petals  of  a  Rose; 
or  admire  the  glowing  colors  of  a  Tulip — do 
you  ever  stop  to  wonder  "whence  comes 
this?" 

Out  of  the  earth,  the  soil,  the  common  dirt  at 
our  feet!  Of  the  multitudinous  things  to  be 
marveled  at,  do  you  know  of  any  more  strikingly 
wonderful?  Out  of  the  same  inert  brown  soil 
ccme  the  glistening  whiteness  of  a  Gardenia,  the 
flaming  crimson  of  a  Poinsettia,  the  pure  blue 
of  a  Forget-me-not,  and  all  the  shades  imaginable 
in  between.  Each  plant  (through  what  process, 
the  most  advanced  scientist  can  give  no  more 
than  a  baby's  guess)  searching,  selecting,  reject- 
ing, accepting,  what  it  finds  in  the  soil,  building 
up  its  own  individual  pattern  of  cell  tissue,  of 
plant  form,  of  bloom. 

"Inert  Soil ! "  That  is  the  stereotyped  phrase. 
Inert?  About  as  inert  as  the  Battle  of  the 
Somme! — only  it  is  on  a  microscopic  scale.     For 

57 


58  Gardening  Under  Glass 

the  soil  is  a  medley  of  chemical  explosions,  and 
the  terrific  warfare  of  deadly  enemies,  and  the 
constant  labor  of  sappers  and  engineers,  tearing 
down  and  bnilding  up  continuously! 

Now  the  gardener  is,  in  a  sense,  the  ruler  of 
this  invisible  empire.  In  greenhouse  work  its 
needs  are  almost  solely  in  his  own  hands.  And 
when  he  understands  what  things  he  is  responsi- 
ble for,  the  fun  of  growing  plants  will  have  a  new 
and  fascinating  interest.  When  he  understands 
the  routine  of  mixing  soil,  and  adding  manure 
to  it,  and  providing  drainage  and  all  the  rest,  he 
cannot  but  count  it  as  a  great  adventure. 

What  Soil  Must  Be  for  Plants  to   Thrive  in   It 

Now  we  do  not  want  to  enter  into  a  long  dis- 
course on  the  "technical  aspects  of  agricultural 
bacteriology" — but  the  gardener  will  be  a  better 
gardener  if  he  knows  something  about  soil. 
Here  are  a  few  essential  facts  to  memorize: 

1.  That  the  presence  of  certain  friendly  bacteria 
in  the  soil  is  necessary  to  healthy  growth. 

2.  That  these  bacteria  are  discouraged  by  soil 
that  is  too  wet,  or  too  dry.  They  like  a  50 
per  cent,  saturation — in  other  words,  a  nice, 
evenly  moist  soil. 

3.  To  keep  the  soil  evenly  moist,  it  is  necessarj^ 
to  have  in  it  a  large  percentage  of  spongy,  ab- 


Tlie  Fascinating  Art  of  Soil  Building     59 

sorbent  material  which  will  soak  up  water  and 
hold  it  for  a  long  time. 
4.  This   is   supplied   by   "humus"   or   decayed 
vegetable  matter.     Soils  without  humus  ab- 


This  gardener  looks  like  a  sure-enough  scientist.  But  you  don't  have  to 
be  that  to  have  a  lot  of  fun  mixing  up  your  own  soil  to  get  just  the 
results  you  want. 

sorb  little  moisture,  and  yet  get  wet  and  sticky 
when  they  are  watered,  and  lumpy  and  hard 
when  they  dry  out.     Hence  the  necessity  for 
humus. 
5.  Too  much  water  is  fatal  for  the  bacteria  and 


60  Gardening  Under  Glass 

for  growing  plants;  but  unless  the  water  can 
cjuickly  run  down  through  the  soil  when  there 
is  too  much  in  it — why,  of  course,  you  can't 
prevent   there   being  too   much.     Hence   the 
fact  that  good  drainage  is  essential. 
"But,"    you    ask,    "isn't    the    soil    like    the 
weather — must  you  not  take  it  as  it  comes  .'^" 
By  no  means!     You  can  make  your  soil  what 
you  want  it,  and  making  soil  is  almost  as  much 
fun  as  potting  plants,  sowing  seeds,  and  cutting 
flowers.     It  took  me  some  time  to  find  that  out, 
however.     In  my  first  experiences  with  frames, 
I  simply  used  the  common  garden  soil  I  had. 
But  by  experimenting  in  my  own  little  green- 
house, and  by  visiting  others,  I  began  to  get  an 
idea  of  what  should  be  done;  and  by  the  time  I 
had  my  big  house,  I   knew   pretty    well   what 
should  be  done,  and  prepared  in  advance. 

The  Materials  for  Soil  Bnilding 

The  first  step  was  to  collect  the  "materials" 
needed  to  build  my  soil  with,  as  follows:  loam, 
sod,  humus,  in  the  form  of  leaf  mould;  sand. 
These  I  deposited  in  piles  near  the  greenhouse. 
In  getting  ready  for  a  small  glass  garden  it  would 
be  a  convenience  to  have  a  barrelf  ul  or  two  of  each 
put  in  the  work  house  or  in  the  "potting  shed." 

For  loam,  use  by  preference  the  best  soil  ob- 


The  Fascinating  Art  of  Soil  Building     61 

tainable  from  the  vegetable  garden.  Or  pos- 
sibly in  some  pasture  will  be  found  a  soil  better 
still.  I  hunted  up  a  place  where  the  wash  from 
the  road  had  accumulated,  making  a  deposit  of 
rich  loam,  with  sand  and  manure.  There  was  a 
good  thick  sod  on  top  of  this,  which  I  cut  off 
about  three  inches  thick,  and  dug  up  the  soil  from 
beneath.  Then  I  dug  over  the  manure  pile  to 
find  the  oldest  and  most  thoroughly  rotted  material 
I  could  get  there.  Horse  and  cow  manure  mixed, 
about  half  and  half,  is  best.  Horse  manure 
alone  is  light  and  likely  to  dry  out,  but  will  do 
if  you  can't  get  the  ideal  mixture.  The  leaf 
mould  and  the  sand  have  already  been  talked 
about.  In  case  you  can't  get  sand,  finely  sifted 
coal  ashes  may  be  used  as  a  substitute. 

You  may  receive  the  impression  from  some  of 
your  garden  reading  that  it  is  necessary  to  mix 
a  special  soil  for  about  every  separate  thing  you 
want  to  grow.  Just  add  that  to  your  list  of 
things  to  forget! 

One  Soil  for  all  General  Purposes 

A  prescription  for  a  soil  that  will  give  satis- 
factory results  with  most  plants  is  as  follows: 
One  third  each  of  rotted  sod,  sifted  leaf  mould, 
and  thoroughly  decomposed  manure.  This  is  the 
ideal,  but  is  subject  to  modification.     For  in- 


62  Gardening  Lhider  Glass 

stance,  if  rotted  sods  are  hard  to  get  take  some 
good  thick  turf,  cut  it  up  fine,  and  rub  it  through 
the  screen,  the  same  as  with  leaf  mould.  Again, 
if  the  sod  is  on  heavy  clay  soil,  add  some  sand — 
10  to  25  per  cent,  in  weight — to  "cut"  the  mix- 
ture so  that  it  will  be  slightly  gritty  in  your 
fingers. 


All  this  wonderful  range  of  color  and  form  and  fragrance — out  of  the 
same  mother  soil!  When  you  come  to  know  what  really  goes  on  in  the 
"lifeless"  soil,  you'll  find  it  interesting  as  a  story-book. 

To  get  the  sod  to  rot,  secure  a  considerable 
quantity  and  pack  it  up  in  a  compact  heap,  put- 
ting the  grassy  sides  together.  The  manure  can 
be  mixed  with  it  at  this  time,  or  added  later. 
If  the  pile  is  occasionally  watered  it  will  rot 
down  more  quickly.  After  being  packed  several 
months,  cut  it  down  with  a  sharp  spade,  and 
restock  it. 


The  Fascinating  Art  of  Soil  Building     63 

Remember  that  the  soil  is  the  real  basis  of  all 
your  work  with  growing  plants — the  keynote  to 
failure  or  success,  and  it  is  really  much  less  work 
to  care  for  this  soil  properly,  taking  the  trouble 
to  do  it  as  described  above,  and  making  enough 
to  last  for  a  year,  than  to  bother  to  find  the  right 
kind  of  soil  each  time  a  small  quantity  is  needed. 

Some  plants  do  well  in  a  particularly  light, 
loamy  soil,  and  others  require  heavy  soil.  It  is 
an  easy  matter  to  make  a  heavier  soil  by  adding 
loam  to  the  mixture  described  above,  or  to  make 
a  lighter  one  by  adding  rotted  manure  or  leaf 
mould. 

Where  plants  are  to  be  grown  in  solid  benches, 
good  drainage  must  be  provided  by  first  putting 
in  a  layer  of  coal  ashes,  or  gravel.  Raised 
benches,  which  are  most  used,  are  usually  made 
with  provision  for  drainage  so  that  any  surplus 
water  can  run  off,  but  a  shallow  layer  of  some 
coarse  material — inverted  sods,  for  instance,  or 
screened  ashes  of  suitable  size — ^being  first  put  in 
to  keep  the  soil  from  washing  through  the  cracks. 
The  proper  method  for  securing  good  drainage 
in  pots  is  shown  in  the  illustration  on  page  114. 


CHAPTER  VII 

SUCH  STUFF  AS  BLOOMS  ARE  MADE  OF 

"I  sometimes  think  that  never  grows  so  red 
The  Rose  as  where  some  buried  Caesar  bled: 
That  every  Hyacinth  the  garden  wears 

Dropt  in  her  lap  from  some  once  lovely  head." 

The  old  singing  tent-maker  of  Persia  had  dis- 
covered some  utilization  for  dead  Caesars  before 
it  occurred  to  Shakespeare  that  they  might  be 
used  in  chinks  to  keep  the  wind  away! 

It  may  seem  something  of  a  sacrilege  to  quote 
that  beautiful  conception  of  the  Persian  poet  as 
an  introduction  to  a  chat  on  the  interesting 
subject  of  plant  food,  fertilizers,  and  manures; 
but,  after  all,  poetry  pertains  to  anything  that 
goes  on  in  a  greenhouse. 

In  the  last  chapter  we  talked  about  the  physi- 
cal make-up  of  soil — how  it  is  necessary  to  get 
it  right  to  have  plants  grow  right.  But  in  addi- 
tion to  good  soil  conditions,  plants  need  some- 
thing more.  They  need  food.  What  makes 
plant  food.'^     And  how  do  plants  eat? 

64 


Such  Stuff  as  Blooms  Are  Made  of       65 

How  Plants  Eat 

Let's  take  the  last  question  first.  Plants,  of 
course,  gather  their  mineral  food  from  the  soil, 
which  of  course  is  common  knowledge.  But 
do  you  always  bear  in  mind  that  the  only  way 
they  can  take  up  any  food  is  in  the  form  of  a 
solution?  Absolutely  no  "solids"  are  allowed  in 
their  diets,  and  incidentally  this  is  another  big 
reason  why  it  is  absolutely  essential  to  have  a 
plentiful  supply  of  moisture  present.  Without 
it,  therefore,  though  a  soil  maj^  be  chock  full  of 
plant  food,  the  plants  will  starve  to  death. 

The  httle  plant  roots  and  "root  hairs"  that 
you  can  scarcely  see  are  in  reality  hollow  tubes 
with  absorbent  sides.  They  search  out  the  rich 
soil  juices  and  drink  them  up.  Then  by  a 
physical  process  called  "osmosis"  and  other 
means,  the  plant  juices,  running  contrarj^  to  all 
the  laws  of  gravity,  supply  the  topmost  twig 
and  leaf  with  the  necessary  sustenance. 

The  reader,  of  course,  knows  all  about  nitro- 
gen, phosphoric  acid,  and  potash,  as  being  the 
three  important  plant  foods;  that  it  is  necessary 
to  have  enough  lime  in  the  soil  to  keep  it "  sweet " ; 
and  other  "first"  principles  learned  in  connec- 
tion with  outside  gardening. 

So  we  will  take  all  that  for  granted,  and  in- 


66  Gardening   Under  Glass 

stead  we  will  just  look  into  the  practical  needs 
of  the  practical  grower  in  a  practical  way. 
Speaking  from  my  own  experience  of  a  good 
many  years  there  are  a  certain  few  things  I  would 
stock  up  with  in  starting  a  new  glass  garden. 

A71   Assortment   of  Plant   Foods    to    Start    ivith 

My  greatest  reliance  I  would  place  in  manure. 
I'd  be  careful  to  get  the  very  best  manure  I 
could  find,  however.  If  you  are  in  a  place  where 
ordinary  manure  cannot  be  obtained  readily  it 
will  be  well  to  obtain  commercial  manure  in 
dry,  powdered,  standardized  form,  convenient 
to  handle,  through  your  local  florist  or  from  a 
seed  house.  This  manure  contains  all  the  plant 
food  that  regular  barnyard  manure  contains, 
excepting,  of  course,  the  humus. 

Commercial  humus,  however,  can  be  bought 
by  the  bag,  and,  when  mixed  with  the  dried 
rotted  yard  manure,  makes  an  excellent  substi- 
tute for  well-rotted  yard  manure,  and  is  very 
much  more  convenient  to  handle.  Manure  alone 
is  a  "complete"  plant  food  because  it  contains 
the  different  kinds  of  minerals  needed,  and  also 
humus. 

But  in  addition  to  manure  it  is  well  to  have 
other  things  for  some  special  purposes.  The 
most  important  of  these  is: 


Such  Stuff  as  Blooms  Are  Made  of       67 

Bone  Meal. — For  a  small  greenhouse,  say 
18  by  25  feet,  a  supply  of  50  pounds  of  very  fine 
ground  bone,  or  flour,  and  a  like  amount  of 
coarse  ground  bone,  will  do  for  a  start.     The 


To  maiiitiiiii  hoiillhy  and  vigorous  growth  and  have  perfect  blooms, 
your  plants,  of  course,  need  plenty  of  food.  So  you  must  know  what 
they  eat. 

"flour"  is  used  where  quick  results  are  wanted, 
such  as  mixing  with  soil  for  potting  cuttings  and 
the  like.  A  half  pint  to  a  pint  to  a  bushel  of 
soil  is  plenty  to  use.  If  this  can  be  mixed  with 
the  soil  a  week  or  two  in  advance  of  using,  it  will 
be  better;  but  it  may  be  added  at  the  time  of 
using  the  soil  without  any  danger  to  the  plants, 


68  Gardening  Under  Glass 

since  it  will  not  burn  the  roots  as  many  complete 
mixed  fertilizers  are  likely  to  do.  The  coarse 
ground  bone  is  used  in  solid  beds,  in  making  com- 
posts, and  wherever  there  is  no  special  necessity 
for  quick  results. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  is  the  next  necessity.  This 
looks  and  tastes  like  common  coarse  salt,  is  very 
soluble,  and  is  the  quickest  acting  fertilizer 
known.  You  can,  literally,  see  the  results  from 
an  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  in  twenty-four 
hours!  It  is  so  stimulating,  it  should  be  used 
with  great  care.  The  first  time  I  ever  used  it 
was  on  some  Lettuce  under  glass,  and  I  sprinkled 
it  on  generously,  like  any  ordinary  fertilizer,  not 
knowing  any  better.  A  few  lumps  of  it  were 
left  by  a  climbing  Rose  which  had  been  in  pos- 
session of  that  spot  for  a  number  of  years. 
Then  we  gave  everything  a  generous  watering. 
Result:  In  about  four  days  the  Lettuce  had 
turned  up  its  toes.  And  within  a  week  that  old 
Rose,  with  a  stem  of  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diame- 
ter, was  dead. 

I  have  known  other  people  who,  having  similar 
experiences  with  nitrate  of  soda,  blamed  the 
nitrate  of  soda,  and  refused  to  use  it  as  being 
dangerous.  They  might  as  well  refuse  to  use 
kerosene  because  some  people  don't  know  any 
better  than  to  throw  it  on  a  lighted  stove! 


Such  Stuff  as  Blooms  Are  Made  of       69 

Rightly  used,  nitrate  of  soda  is  absolutely  safe, 
and  gives  such  wonderful  results  that  no  gar- 
dener will  want  to  be  without  it.  A  perfectly 
safe  way  to  use  it  is  to  dissolve  a  tablespoonful  in 
hot  water  and  stir  this  into  a  ten-  or  twelve-quart 
watering  can.  Apply  it  about  the  roots  after 
watering. 

On  crops  grown  in  solid  benches  nitrate  of  soda 
may  be  applied  as  is  to  the  surface,  using,  how- 
ever, only  the  equivalent  of  a  pinch  to  each 
plant.  Twenty-five  pounds  of  nitrate  of  soda 
will  be  in  keeping  with  the  quantity  of  bone 
suggested  above. 

Tankage. — Another  material  which  I  have 
found  so  useful  that  I  always  like  to  have  it  on 
hand  is  tankage.  This  also  is  rich  in  nitrogen, 
but  is  not  quite  as  quick-acting  as  nitrate  of  soda 
and  is  more  evenly  balanced  in  plant  foods.  It 
is  excellent  for  mixing  with  potting  soil.  Say 
50  pounds  of  this. 

Dried  Blood  is  quite  similar  to  and  may  be 
used  in  place  of  tankage. 

Guano  is  better  than  either,  but  is  not  always 
easy  to  get,  so  put  in  a  stock  of  100  pounds  of 
guano — it  keeps  well. 

Either  of  these  materials,  or  both,  mixed  half 
and  half,  may  be  added  to  the  potting  soil,  or  as 
a  fertilizer  on  solid  beds,  and  will  give  the  kind  of 


70  Gardening  Under  Glass 

strong,  vigorous  plant  growth  seen  in  commercial 
establishments. 

If  you  burn  any  wood  save  the  Wood  Ashes 
for  use,  keeping  them  where  they  cannot  get  wet. 
They  furnish  both  potash  and  lime,  and  put  the 
soil  in  excellent  condition.  They  help  make  a 
firm- wooded,  normal  growth,  correcting  the  tend- 
ency toward  too  much  leaf  growth  which  some- 
times results  from  the  use  of  manure  and  par- 
ticularly of  nitrate  of  soda  alone.  If  plants  are 
growing  strong,  but  do  not  bloom,  wood  ashes 
will  help  them. 

There  are  a  number  of  special  commercial 
plant-food  preparations  which  are  convenient 
for  use  on  a  very  small  scale  and  may  be  used  to 
supplement  the  things  described  above.  As  a 
general  ready-made  fertilizer  for  greenhouse 
work  I  can  recommend  the  Greenhouse  Grower 
mixture  of  the  Nitrate  Agencies  Co.  of  New 
York. 


CHAPTER  Vin 

KEEPING    YOUR    PLANTS    HALE    AND    HEARTY 

Why  do  plants  go  wrong?  In  nine  cases  out 
of  ten  it  is  not  just  because  you  haven't  a  special 
house  you  can  devote  to  that  particular  thing, 
and  an  imported  gardener  who  is  an  expert  in 
growing  it.  Nor  any  of  the  other  causes  you 
may  think  of,  or  your  friends  suggest.  Mostly 
plants  go  wrong  because  they  are  not  given 
common-sense  care.  Just  the  common-sense, 
every-day  things  that  keep  plants  hale  and 
happy  are  not  attended  to.  Forget  to  feed  the 
baby,  or  the  cat,  and  you  are  soon  audibly  re- 
minded of  it;  if  you  don't  keep  the  oven  warm 
enough  the  effect  is  realized  when  you  look  at  the 
cake! 

But  the  occupants  of  your  glass  garden,  if  they 
are  neglected,  have  to  suffer  in  silence.  The  re- 
sult of  the  neglect  which  may  be  going  on  is  in- 
visible for  days,  weeks,  or  months;  and  by  the 
time  it  does  become  obvious  it  is  in  many  cases 
too  late  to  remedy  it. 

No,  it  is  not  enough  merely  to  know  your 

71 


72  Gardening  Under  Glass 

plants,  to  enjoy  and  admire  them,  and  to  fondle 
them  as  it  were  on  a  bright,  sunny  morning. 
You  must  know  them  enough  to  love  them  inti- 
mately, and  realize  the  significance  there  may 
be  in  a  drooping  leaf,  the  lack  of  new  growth, 
or  an  undersized  flower. 

Of  course,  certain  plants  will  pine  away  and 
die  under  the  conditions  that  suit  other  plants. 
We  speak  of  "cool-house  plants,"  "hothouse 
plants,"  and  the  like — but  there  are  many  things 
that  can  be  grown  in  a  single  general-purpose 
house,  as  I  have  already  intimated.  At  the  end 
of  this  chapter  you  will  find  a  list  of  plants  for 
different  temperatures,  and  besides  these  there 
are  books  and  many  dealers'  catalogues  (if  you 
happen  to  be  buying  something  that  is  not 
mentioned  in  this  book)  that  indicate  the 
temperature  required  by  particular  plants. 

TJiings  to  Think  of 
Other  things  which  you  have  to  consider  are: 
Light,  temperature,  moisture,  and  fresh  air. 
In  houses  of  modern  construction  the  factor  of 
light  is  well  taken  care  of,  and  needs  no  special 
consideration  here.  There  may  also  be  a  corner 
next  to  the  potting  shed  or  imder  a  bench  where 
plants  requiring  partial  shade  may  find  a  con- 
genial place  to  grow. 


Keeping  Plants  Hale  and  Hearty         73 

Temperature,  of  course,  is  the  factor  which 
will  require  most  constant  attention,  as  the  con- 
ditions affecting  it  change  not  only  from  day  to 
day,  but  even  from  hour 
to  hour.  Here,  again,  as 
with  most  other  things 
connected  with  the  grow- 
ing of  plants,  you  can  ap- 
ply common  sense.  You 
know  that  the  thing 
above  all  others  to  be 
avoided  in  taking  care  of 
the  baby  is  a  sudden 
change  in  temperature; 
the  same  thing  applies  to 
your  plants.  It  is  not 
the  low  or  high  tempera- 
ture itself,  but  the  shock 
of  a  sudden  change  which  usually  does  the  dam- 
age. That  is  why  it  is  so  essential  to  have  a 
good,  sturdy,  well-constructed  house  which  is 
tight,  and  in  which  the  heating  system  is  not 
only  adequate  in  size,  but  made  for  greenhouse 
heating.  Further  reference  to  this  subject  is 
found  in  Chapter  XV. 

Temperature  is  controlled  by  the  heating  and 
ventilating  systems,  both  of  which  are  simple 
enough.     The  big  difference  between  greenhouse 


A  turn  or  two  of  the  little 
wheel,  and  your  glass  garden 
is  flooded  with  fresh  aii — as 
much  or  as  little  as  may  be 
required. 


74  Gardening  Under  Glass 

heating  and  dwelling-house  heating  is  that  heat 
is  wanted  in  the  former  most  during  the  night, 
whereas  it  is  during  the  day  or  early  evening 
that  the  home  is  kept  warmer.  Furthermore, 
the  glass  garden  gets  most  of  its  daytime  heat 
from  the  sun,  and  the  greenhouse  begins  to 
cool  off  very  rapidly  when  the  sun  goes  down. 
It  is  then  necessary  to  get  the  fire  in  good  con- 
dition, and  the  water  or  steam  circulating  i?i 
time  to  prevent  a  sudden  drop  in  the  tempera- 
ture. 

The  time  for  opening  up  the  greenhouse  to 
ventilate  is  when  the  temperature  inside  is  ris- 
ing; therefore,  as  a  general  rule,  it  is  best  to  ven- 
tilate as  the  sun  begins  to  gain  strength  early  in 
the  morning.  This  helps  to  prevent  too  sudden 
a  rise  in  temperature,  which  is  just  as  bad  as  a 
sudden  drop.  A  little  experience  and  watching 
the  thermometers  will  soon  enable  you  to  judge 
easil}"  just  when  and  how  much  heat  or  ventila- 
tion Avill  be  required  to  keep  the  temperature 
running  steadily,  and  indeed  is  the  only  way  to 
acquire  the  knowledge. 

By  far  the  greater  number  of  ornamental 
plants  and  vegetables  will  do  well  with  an  "in- 
termediate" temperature — i.  e.,  night  tempera- 
ture of  45  to  55  degrees,  and  a  day  temperature 
of  10  degrees  or  so  higher.     The  "cool-house" 


Keeping  Plants  Hale  and  Hearty         15 

plants  will  like  about  10  degrees  below  these 
figures;  and  the  "hothouse"  plants  about  15 
degrees  higher.  In  a  single-compartment  house 
aim  to  keep  the  air  inside  as  near  as  practicable 
from  50  to  55  degrees,  night  temperature. 

Keep  the  Air  Moist 

Moisture. — The  great  importance  of  mois- 
ture in  the  soil  has  already  been  spoken  of; 
almost  equally  important  is  having  moisture  in 
the  air.  Lack  of  this  is  why  most  people  have 
such  "hard  luck"  with  plants  in  the  dwelling 
house.  They  feed  them,  they  pet  them,  try  to 
coax  them  along — ^but  it  is  all  to  no  avail  when 
the  air  has  had  most  of  the  moisture  bin-ned  out 
of  it  by  artificial  heating.  The  reason  you  your- 
self so  enjoy  to  step  into  a  modern  greenhouse 
and  find  yourself  stopping  at  the  door  to  fill 
your  lungs  chock  full  of  the  air  you  find  there 
is  that  the  moisture  in  it  makes  it  good  to  get. 
It  seems  almost  incredible,  but  it  is  nevertheless 
true,  that  thousands  of  people,  even  in  the  best 
of  houses,  live  during  the  winter  months  in  rooms 
shut  up  so  tight  and  so  devitalized  that  plants 
cannot  live  in  them. 

Ventilation,  of  course,  helps  to  keep  the  spent 
air  of  the  greenhouse  replaced  by  air  from  out- 
side that  is  normally  moist,  and  in  addition  the 


76  Gardening  Under  Glass 

gardener  has  the  hose  and  the  watering  can  as 
moisture-control  apparatus. 

When  I  first  began  growing  things  in  the  green- 
house, I  found  myself  tempted  to  give  them  a 
little  sprinkling  every  day,  but  from  my  own 
experience  and  the  advice  of  older  gardeners  I 
soon  learned  that  the  one  thing  about  watering 
is:  Don't  water  until  you  have  to;  and  then 
water!  I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  you  should 
let  your  plants  go  until  the  soil  is  dried  out  and 
hard,  and  the  leaves  are  beginning  to  droop. 
On  the  contrary,  a  careful  watch  should  be  kept 
at  all  times,  and  watering  done  before  the  soil 
begins  to  get  really  dry — usually  just  as  it  has 
begun  to  get  dry  on  the  surface.  Then,  water  to 
the  saturation  point;  but  don't  flood  things  so  as 
to  make  a  muddy  mess. 

How  Much  Water  to  Use 

The  more  gradually  the  water  can  be  applied 
the  better.  When  you  get  experience  j^ou  can 
tell  the  condition  of  the  soil  in  a  pot  from  the 
"ring"  of  the  pot  when  rapped  sharply  on  the 
side.  The  less  moisture  it  holds  the  clearer  the 
ring.  For  practice  in  watering  knock  a  plant 
or  two  out  of  their  pots  ten  or  fifteen  minutes 
after  watering,  to  see  if  you  have  given  enough 
to    soak    the    soil    thoroughly    through    to    the 


Keeping  Plants  Hale  and  Hearty         77 

bottom.     Do  the  same  thing  to  find  out  when 
they  need  watering  again. 

Make  a  practice  of  watering  rather  early  in 
the  morning  and  on  bright  days.  This  gives  the 
soil  a  chance  to  dry  off  before  night,  which  is  a 
desirable  thing.  Where  solid  beds  are  in  use, 
great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  over-water,  es- 
pecially during  the  winter  months.  A  whole 
crop  may  be  spoiled  by  getting  the  ground  wet 
and  soggy 
when  short 
days  and  dull 
weather  have 
to  be  contend- 
ed with. 

Fresh  air  is 
as  much  need- 
ed as  moist  air. 
How  can  you 
expect  a  living 
thing  to  be 
happy  when  it 
does  not  have 
plenty  of  fresh 
air  to  breathe.'^ 
Remember,  the 

plant  cannot  go   out  for  a  walk, 
you.     Don't  leave  your  plants  for 


m  , 

.^^•^^ 

1 

,,*y_y  ^  ^vc  ~^^l 

^^^^^ 

ig 

^^^ 

i 

'l?:?M 

^^ 

1 

mSSm^P^W^^ 

vip 

1 

f^Bt^Km 

^^niu 

1^ 

Remember  that  plants,  as  well  as  humans, 
just  breathe — and  that  they  can't  go  out  for 
a  walk  to  take  the  air! 


It's   up    to 
davs  with- 


78  Gardening  Under  Glass 

out  fresh  air,  and  then  wonder  why  they  don't 
do  better. 

When  to  Give  Fresh  Air 

In  the  modern  standard  construction  green- 
house the  control  of  air  is  a  very  simple  matter. 
A  twist  or  two  of  an  easy -turning  wheel,  and  the 
trick  is  done — the  ventilators  being  placed  where 
they  will  not  cause  direct  drafts  of  air  to  strike 
the  plants. 

"Giving  the  plants  air"  used  to  be  quite  a 
job  when  you  had  to  climb  up  and  regulate  each 
sash  with  a  strip  of  iron  full  of  holes  to  fit  over  a 
pin.  But  modern  ventilating  apparatus  works 
so  easily,  and  quietly,  and  perfectly,  that  you 
like  to  work  it.  The  way  you  can  close  your 
house  up  in  a  jiffy  when  a  sudden  storm  comes 
out  of  the  northwest;  and  then  having  turned  on 
the  heat,  watch  the  snow  begin  to  pile  up  and 
drift  outside,  but  melt  and  run  off  the  roof  of 
the  glass  garden — will  surely  send  a  thrill  of  pleas- 
ure to  the  heart  of  any  lover  of  plants. 

There  is  yet  one  other  thing  which  is  necessary 
to  keep  the  plants  happy.  Like  everything  else, 
from  a  puff-ball  to  a  bishop's  soul,  a  plant  must 
express  happiness  in  growth.  To  keep  on  grow- 
ing, it  will,  from  time  to  time,  need  more  room. 
More   room   for   its   spreading   branches;   more 


Keeping  Plants  Hale  and  Hearty        79 

room  for  its  increasing  roots.  And  so,  if  you 
leave  it  too  long  where  it  is,  it  gets  "pot-bound" 
— and  narrow-minded  and  cross,  in  general. 

When  to  Change  to  Larger  Pots 

Never  let  the  plants  crowd.  Better  a  half- 
dozen  good  plants  than  four  dozen  poor,  con- 
sumptive looking,  measly  specimens,  such  as  are 
not  infrequently  seen. 

How  can  you  tell  when  it  is  time  to  re-pot .^^ 
By  actual  examination  of  the  "ball,"  the  mass  of 
roots  and  soil.  To  do  this  the  plant  is  removed 
from  the  pot  by  holding  it  inverted  in  the  right 
hand,  with  the  first  and  middle  fingers  on  either 
side  of  the  stem,  and  smartly  rapping  the  rim 
of  the  pot  against  the  edge  of  the  bench.  (See 
illustration,  page  80.)  If  the  soil  is  medium 
moist  the  plant  should  come  out  readily.  If  it 
has  been  growing  in  one  pot  so  long  that  a  net- 
work of  tough,  yellowish,  dead-looking  roots 
have  formed  around  the  inside  of  the  pot,  it  is 
time  for  a  shift.  If  the  roots  are  still  white  and 
active  looking,  and  the  plant  is  making  a  good 
growth,  a  shift  is  not  yet  needed. 

In  re-potting  proceed  as  follows:  First  of  all, 
prepare  the  soil  in  advance. 

Use  a  pot  only  one  or  two  sizes  larger  than 
that  from  which  the  plant  is  being  transferred 


80 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


— say  from  a  3-inch  to  a  4-inch,  or  a  4-inch  to  a 
.5-inch.  Shifting  into  too  large  a  pot  leads  to 
many  cultural  difficulties. 
Just  why  and  how  this 
is  need  not  be  discussed 
here. 

Fill  about  a  third  of  the 
pot  with  soil.  Now  place 
the  plant  in  position  in 
the  pot  and  fill  in  the 
new  soil  around,  pressing 
firmly  down  with  the  fin- 
gers, or  by  settling  it  as 
described  in  the  remarks 
on  potting  cuttings  on 
page  54. 

In  the  case  of  old 
plants,  especially  shrubs, 
it  is  sometimes  necessary 
to  force  the  new  earth  be- 
tween the  ball  and  the  old 
pot  with  a  flat  stick,  to 
get  it  really  firm,  instead 
of  "potting-on."  Plants 
should  go  into  the  new 
pot  a  little  deeper  than  they  have  been  growing 
before;  and  the  soil  in  the  new  pot  should  be, 
when  settled,  merely  above  the  line  of  the  rim  or 


To  examine  the  roots,  hold 
the  plant  between  the  index 
and  middle  fingers,  and  rap 
the  pot  sharply  against  edge 
of  a  bench  or  box. 


Keeping  Plants  Hale  and  Hearty         81 

collar  on  the  outside  of  the  pot,  not  filled  up  to 
the  top.  This  will  give  some  space  for  holding 
surplus  water,  later  to  soak  away,  when  the  plant 
is  being  watered. 

Plants  being  put  into  fairly  large  pots,  4-inch 
or  more,  will  need  crocking.  "Crocking"  is 
one  of  the  words  bequeathed  to  us  by  the  gar- 
deners of  old  England.  It  means  the  placing  of 
some  rough  material  in  the  bottom  of  the  pot, 
over  the  hole,  to  make  good  drainage  certain. 
I  suppose  the  term  comes  from  the  fact  that 
pieces  of  l)roken  pots  or  crocks  are  used  for  this 
purpose.  Methods  of  arranging  the  crocking 
are  shown  in  the  illustration  on  page  114. 

A  little  sphagnum  moss  or  leaf  mould  placed 
over  the  drainage  material,  before  the  soil  is  put 
in,  prevents  any  of  the  soil  from  washing  through 
the  hole.  This  is  an  especially  desirable  feature 
where  plants  are  to  be  brought  into  the  house, 
or  used  as  gifts. 

Growing  Periods  and  Resting  Periods 

There  is  one  more  very  important  thing  to 
learn  about  your  plants,  if  you  do  not  happen  to 
be  aware  of  it  already:  Plants,  like  folks,  require 
vacations.  Their  rest  periods  are  well  provided 
for  in  nature's  scheme  of  things,  and  they  will  go 
on  strike  if  you  attempt  to  keep  them  working 


82  Gardening  Under  Glass 

from  one  end  of  the  year  to  the  other.  That  is 
one  reason  why  some  folks  fail  when  they  "bring 
the  garden  indoors"  in  the  fall.  They  expect 
the  plants  that  have  been  blooming  all  summer 
to  go  right  on  performing  through  the  winter. 

Here  is  where  you  merely  need  to  use  common 
sense,  or  your  sense  of  observation,  which  is  not 
so  common.  When  plants  are  grown  in  the 
greenhouse  the  year  around,  the  natural  seasons 
can  be  followed,  letting  them  take  a  rest  period 
after  the  blooming  or  fruiting  period.  This  may 
be  a  few  weeks  only,  but  often  is  two  or  three 
months.  At  this  time,  as  practically  no  growth 
will  be  made,  very  little  water  is  required.  In 
the  spring,  when  new  growth  starts,  is  the  time 
to  re-pot,  to  give  them  new  plant  food,  and  give 
them  more  water. 

Plants  that  normallj^  flower  in  the  summer  or 
fall,  but  which,  having  been  brought  in,  are  good 
enough  to  flower  in  your  glass  garden  in  the  win- 
ter months,  should  be  rested  during  the  summer. 

After  a  very  little  experience  it  is  easy  to  tell 
when  the  plants  seem  to  be  getting  tired — new 
growth  ceases,  flowers  get  smaller  and  fewer, 
and  with  some  things  the  leaves  turn,  and  even 
drop  off.  When  these  conditions  develop  don't 
attempt  to  force  or  even  to  keep  them  growing 
on. 


Keeping  Plants  Hale  and  Hearty         83 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  you  will  find  your  plants 
very  reasonable  in  the  matter  of  this  rest  period. 
Plants  which  grow  out  of  doors,  and  naturally 
have  four  or  five  months'  loafing  time,  will  do 
well  in  the  greenhouse  if  they  are  given  that 
many  weeks. 

Freezing  Before  Forcing 

With  most  hardy  things,  such  as  Asparagus, 
Rhubarb,  Strawberries,  and  perennial  flowers  in 
variety,  freezing  before  they  are  brought  into 
heat  to  be  forced  will  help  matters.  A  handy 
way  to  accomplish  this  is  to  take  up  the  plants, 
with  plent}^  of  roots  and  soil,  and  store  them  in 
a  deep  frame  or  pit  where  they  can  be  allowed 
to  freeze,  but  can  readily  be  reached  when  wanted 
for  forcing. 

Above  all  things,  observe  your  plants  not  only 
lovingly,  but  keenly.  Be  on  the  watch  for  every 
change,  no  matter  how  slight.  And  when  any 
change  is  noted,  no  matter  how  slight,  don't  be 
satisfied  until  you  have  discovered  the  reason  for 
it.  Upon  the  quickness  with  which  you  learn  to 
determine  when  anything  does  begin  to  make 
your  plants  uncomfortable  or  unhappy  will  de- 
pend to  a  great  extent  the  measure  of  success 
you  are  able  to  achieve  in  the  glass  garden. 


84  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Different  Teaiperature  Adaptations 
cool:  35  degrees  to  40  degrees — at  night 

Flowers — 

Agave,  Calceolaria,  Campanula,  Chrysanthemum,  Chei- 
ranthus,  Cineraria,  Erica,  Eupatorium,  Genista,  Iberis, 
Mignonette,  Myosotis,  Stock,  Sweet-pea,  Violet. 

Shrubs — - 

Cestrum,  Chorizema,  Kalmia,  Lagerstroemia,  Magnolia, 
Nerium,  Punica,  Rhododendron. 

Ornamental  Plants — 
Aucuba,  Bay-tree. 

Vegetables — 

Endive,  Lettuce,  Parsley,  Radish,  Spinach. 

intermediate:  45  degrees  to  o5  degrees — at  night 

Flowers — ■ 

Agapanthus,  Allium,  Alyssum,  Antirrhinum,  Alternan- 
thera.  Cactus,  Carnation,  Canna,  Epiphyllum,  Erythri- 
num,  Freesia,  Geranium,  Gladiolus,  Hyacinth,  Iris, 
Kalanchoe,  Ornithogalum,  Oxalis,  Pelargonium,  Plum- 
bago, Primula,  Stevia. 

Shrubs— 

Acacia,  Hydrangea,  Lilac,  and  some  Roses. 

Climbers — 

Lapageria,  Passiflora,  Wisteria. 

Orchids — 

Anguloa,  Cypripedium,  Odontoglossum. 

Vegetables — 

Asparagus,  Beans,  Beets,  Carrots,  Cauliflower,  Lettuce, 


Keeping  Plants  Hale  and  Hearty         85 

Mushrooms,  Onions,  Peas,  Rhubarb,  Seakale,  Spinach, 
Peas,  Potatoes. 

warm:    55    DEGREES    TO    65    DEGREES AT    NIGHT 

Flowers— 

Abutilon,  Amaryhs,  Astilbe,  Begonia,  Bouvardia, 
Cactus,  Calla  Lily,  Celosia,  Clivia,  Cyclamen,  Fuchsia, 
Heliotrope,  Hymenocallis  (Ismene),  Lilium,  Tropaeo- 
lum,  Nymphaea. 

Shrubs— 
Aralia,    Azalea,    Camellia,    Hibiscus,    Rose,     Spiraea, 
Swainsona. 

Ornamental  Plants — 

Ananas,    x\raucaria,   Asparagus,    Aspidistra.   Aspidium 

(Dryopteris),  Coleus,  Croton,  Cyperus,  Dracaena. 
Climbers — 

Bougainvillea,  Cissus,  Clerodendron,  Jasminum,  Smilax, 

Stephanotis. 

Orchids — 

Cattelya,    Coelogyne,    Dendrobium,    Laelia,    Lycaste, 

Oncidium,  Vanda. 
Vegetables — 

Beans,  Peppers,  Tomatoes,  Corn,  Cucumbers,  Melons. 
Fruits — 

Grape,  Peach,  Nectarine,  Strawberry. 

HOT  (or  stove):  65  degrees  to  80  degrees — at  night 

Flowers — 
Achimenes,  Aristolochia,  Begonia,  Cephalotus,  Eucha- 
ris.  Euphorbia,  Gloxinia,  Lily-of-the-valley,  Poinsettia, 
Nepenthes. 


86  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Shrubs — • 

Gardenia,  Ixora,  Lantana,  Philodendron. 

Ornamental  Plants — 
Adiantum,  Alsophila,  Anthurium,  Areca,  Asplenium, 
Banana,  Bertolonia,  Borassus,  Caladium,  Calathea, 
Caryota,  Cocos,  Corypha,  Croton,  Cyathea,  Cycas, 
Davallia,  Dicksonia,  Dieffenbachia,  Dracaena,  Ficus, 
Kentia,  Livistona,  Maranta,  Pandanus,  Phoenix,  Pla- 
tycerium,  Rhapis. 

Climbers — • 

Allamanda,  Clitoria,  Gloriosa,  Hoya,  Thumbergia. 

Orchids — 

Calanthe,  Epidendrum,  Phalaenopsis. 

Vegetables^ 

Cucumber,  Eggplant,  Melons. 
Fruits — 

The  Citrus  family. 


CHAPTER  IX 


OVERCOMING    THE    BUG   BUG-A-BOO 


In  the  beginning 
I  was  awfully  afraid 
of  bugs!  Not  that 
I  was  squeamish, 
because  as  a  boy  I 
collected  all  the 
"worms  and  things" 
I  could  find  in  field  or  woods,  and  kept  my  nurse 
and  grandmother  on  the  verge  of  nervous  pros- 
tration by  placing  them — the  bugs,  that  is — all 
over  the  house  in  glass  tumblers,  and  shoe  boxes 
with  holes  punched  in  the  covers. 

When  I  first  began  gardening  under  glass 
every  new  bug  or  worm  got  on  my  nerves  be- 
cause I  didn't  know  what  to  do  with  it — or  rather 
to  or  for  it — or  what  it  was  going  to  do  with  my 
cherished  flowers  and  promising  vegetables.  I 
tried  about  every  bug  medicine  there  was  on  the 
market — with  results  good,  bad,  and  indifferent 
according  to  the  real  worth  of  the  preparation 
and  my  knowledge  of  how  to  use  it. 


88  Gardening  Under  Glas.<i 

It  was  several  years  before  I  had  a  grij)  on  the 
situation  which  gave  nie  the  assurance  that  I 
coukl  cope  with  tlie  ohl  bugs,  and  made  me  fairly 
confident  that  I  could  fight  to  a  finish  any  new 
ones  as  they  came  along.  So  I  am  not  merely 
playing  the  part  of  the  cheerful  optimist  when  I 
say  that  you  will  have  no  reason  to  lie  awake 
nights  worrying  about  bugs  in  your  glass  garden. 

First  of  all,  modern  greenhouse  building  has 
done  much  to  put  this  bug-business-worry  game 
on  the  to})oggan.  Conditions  that  are  bad  for 
plants  are  good  for  bugs.  The  old-fashioned 
wood  house,  with  its  shady  corners  and  rotting 
benches  and  crevices  that  could  never  be  reached, 
was  a  happy  home  for  the  bug  hosts.  But  the 
modern  clean,  light,  sanitary,  well-ventilated 
house  is  anything  but  good  for  them.  Further- 
more, the  fact  that  the  modern  greenhouse  is 
tight  makes  it  possible  to  control  these  intruders 
in  a  way  which  was  never  possible  with  houses 
that  became  more  or  less  leaky  after  a  few  years. 

The  "Remedy''  Must  Fit  the  Bug 

It  does  no  good  to  get  excited  and  begin  spray- 
ing all  over  the  place  with  the  first  thing  you 
can  get  your  hands  on  when  the  presence  of 
some  insect  is  discovered.  Instead,  just  take  it 
calmly  and  try  the  following  plan: 


Overcoming  the  Bug  Bug-a-Boo  89 

Have  you  a  magnifying  glass  or  a  microscope? 
If  not,  get  one.  You  will  have  constant  use  for 
it  in  your  indoor  garden.  It  will  open  up  an 
entirely  new  world  to  you.  When  you  become 
skilled  in  growing  plants,  you  will  want  to  begin 
hybridizing  them,  creating  your  own  varieties. 
And  when  you  get  to  that  point,  you  will  discover 
what  an  interesting  part  some  insects  play  in 
the  lives  of  the  plants  you  love. 

But,  to  get  back  to  the  business  of  handling 
bugs.  If  you  will  examine  the  different  kinds 
you  encounter,  you  will  discover  many  interest- 
ing things  about  their  make-up  and  their  habits 
as  the  result  of  closer  acquaintance.  You  will 
readily  come  to  see  that  there  are  two  distinct 
classes  among  them.  Some  actually  eat  or  chew 
the  leaves  or  other  parts  of  the  plant;  while 
others  suck  the  plant  juices  from  underneath  the 
surface  of  the  foliage. 

Chewirig  Insects  Can  Be  Poisoned 

The  injury  done  by  the  insects  that  eat  is  at 
once  apparent,  and  they  are  easily  located.  But 
the  injury  done  by  the  other  class,  that  sucks 
the  plant  juices  from  underneath  the  surface,  is 
not  apparent  until  the  whole  plant  is  seriously 
affected. 

Common  sense  must  tell  vou  that  different 


90  Gardening  Under  Glass 

methods  must  be  used  to  control  these  two  differ- 
ent classes  of  pests.  Evidently,  the  kind  which 
eats  can  be  poisoned  by  putting  poison  on  their 
food.  It  is  equally  evident  that  poison  applied 
to  the  surface  will  have  no  effect  upon  the  kind 
that  sucks  the  juices  from  beneath  the  surface. 
These  are  the  first  two  things  to  learn  in  the  war 
on  insect  pests, 

Now,  in  any  general  seed  catalogue  you  will 
find  a  half-a-dozen  or  more  things  for  poisoning 
chewing  insects,  but  a  good  arsenate  of  lead,  or 
calcium  arsenate,  is  the  one  thing  needed.  A 
half  pound  of  either  of  these  will  take  care  of 
your  indoor  garden  for  many  months. 

Sucking  Insects  Cause  the  Most  Trouble 

It  is  the  sucking  insect  which  causes  by  far 
the  greater  amount  of  trouble  with  plants  under 
glass.  As  these  cannot  be  poisoned,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  take  care  of  them  with  some  insecticide 
that  will  kill  by  contact.  The  most  convenient 
and  effective  thing  I  have  ever  found  is  a  strong 
nicotine  extract — 40  per  cent,  nicotine  sulphate. 
Of  course,  a  "contact"  spray  must  come  into  di- 
rect contact  with  the  insect  in  order  to  be  effec- 
tive. This  cannot  be  applied  in  advance  and 
left,  but  must  be  sprayed  directly  upon  the  pest. 

On  a  bench  full  of  plants,  or  where  vegetables 


Overcoming  the  Bug  Bug-a-Boo 


91 


are  reaching  maturity  and  beginning  to  crowd 
together,  it  is  often  very  difficult  to  reach  such 
sucking  insects  as  the  green  plant  louse  or  aphis. 
Therefore,  many  gardeners  depend  on  fumigation 
to  keep  their  houses  clean.  It  is  an  instance  of 
where  a  stitch  in  time  saves  ninety-nine.  You 
can  procure  prepared  strips  of  paper  soaked  in 
nicotine  that  can  be  conveniently  burned;  or 
get  a  fumigator.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  make 
a  practice  of  thor- 
oughly fumigat- 
ing the  house 
every  two  weeks 
or  so,  and  thus 
keeping  it  bug 
free. 


What  to  Ward 
Against 

The  most  both- 
ersome of  all  in- 
sects are  these: 

Aphis  or  plant 
lice,  usually  green 
in  color,  but  oc- 
casionally brown  or  black,  as  in  the  variety 
affecting  Chrysanthemums.  They  at  first  con- 
ceal themselves  very  cleverly  in  the  leaf  axis, 


The  greatest  enemy  of  Lettuce  under 
glass  is  the  green  aphis.  Fumigating  or 
spraying  with  tobacco  preparations  will 
control  it. 


92  Gardening  Under  Glass 

opening  leaves  or  flowers,  or  other  inconspicuous 
places.  They  niulti})ly  with  marvelous  rapid- 
ity, and  it  is  extremely  important  to  use  control 
methods  iinmediately. 

Scale. — ^Many   plants   under  glass,  and  par- 
ticularly   the    hard-wooded    plants.   Palms   and 


These  little  scales,  not  much  bigger  than  a  pin-liead,  fastened  to  one 
phice,  do  not  look  dangerous.     But  they  quickly  sap  the  life  of  the  plant. 

Ferns  and  fruits,  are  subject  to  the  attack  of 
scale.  While  these  are  sucking  insects,  they  do 
not  move  about,  but  just  stay  in  one  place  and 


Overcoming  the  Bug  Bug-a-Boo  93 

are  inconspicuous — often  not  noticed  at  all  until 
the  plant  begins  to  die.  Take  one  off  with  the 
point  of  a  toothpick  and  put  it  under  your 
magnifying  glass;  you  will  see  that  it  is  a  real 
animal  covered  with  a  little  shell,  or  shield.  The 
best  way  to  get  rid  of  these  fellows,  when  they  are 


When  you  keep  an  eye  open  for  bugs,  look  under  as  well  as  on  top. 
The  scores  of  white  fly  on  these  Fuchsia  leaves  would  never  be  suspected 
from  above. 

just  beginning,  is  to  wipe  off  the  stems  with  a 
swab  of  cotton  soaked  in  alcohol.  Or,  in  a  more 
extensive  way,  use  a  spray  made  for  the  purpose. 
White  Fly. — The  white  fly,  one  of  the  most 
difficult  pests  to  control,  is  not  likely  to  bother 
in  houses  that  are  kept  clean  and  well  ventilated 
and  fumigated  regularly.  The  "flies"  are  very 
small  and  cannot  well  be  sprayed.  The  real 
damage  is  done  by  the  nymphs,  or  young  of  the 
fly,  which  suck  the  juices  from  the  under  side  of 


94  Gardening  Under  Glass 

the  leaves.  They  operate  indeed  Hke  a  scale  and 
should  be  fought  by  fumigation.  A  recent  insec- 
ticide, "Insectonos,"  which  was  awarded  an 
honorable  medal  by  The  Society  of  American 
Florists,  is  recommended  particularly  for  the 
white  fly.  I  have  not  yet  tried  it  myself,  but 
hear  favorable  reports  on  it. 

Red  Spider. — This  persistent  little  pest  is 
about  the  size  of  a  grain  of  red  pepper,  and  just 
about  as  irritating.  Working  on  the  under  sides 
of  the  leaves,  and  behind  a  tiny  web,  he  is  not 
discerned  until  the  leaf  shows  a  tiny  yellow  spot. 
The  leaf  then  turns  yellow  altogether,  and  even- 
tually drops.  The  most  effective  thing  to  use 
with  these  is  clean,  cold  water,  applied  with  as 
much  force  as  possible.  Use  a  syringe  fre- 
quently if  the  water  in  the  house  is  not  under 
sufficient  pressure  to  give  a  forceful  stream. 
Indeed  moisture  in  the  air  is  this  pest's  great 
enemy,  and  its  presence  is  indicative  of  two 
much  dry  heat. 

After  all,  the  most  effective  way  of  fighting  oft' 
these  attacks  is  to  be  strict  about  greenhouse  sani- 
tation. Always  clean  up,  and  burn  promptly, 
refuse,  fallen  leaves,  dead  plants,  and  rubbish 
of  all  kinds  which  might  possibly  make  a  harbor- 
ing place  for  germs,  spores,  or  eggs.  An  occasion- 
al spraying  under  the  benches  with  a  disinfec- 


Overcoming  the  Bug  Bug -a- Boo  95 

tant  will  take  little  time  and  help  the  good  work 
along. 

Avoiding  Plant  Ills 

Plant  ills,  like  insects,  are  much  less  a  menace 
than  formerlj^  Sunlight,  clean  surfaces,  and 
concrete  are  discouraging  to  obnoxious  germs  and 
spores.  Occasionally,  however,  some  of  the  fol- 
lowing diseases  may  appear: 

Mildew. — This  is  usually  induced  by  a  sudden 
change  or  drop  in  temperature.  The  common 
method  of  control  is  to  dust  the  plants  with  flour 
of  sulphur,  or  to  evaporate  sulphur  on  the  heat- 
ing pipes.  (Make  a  thin  paste  of  sulphur  and 
water  and  paint  it  on  the  hot  pipes;  or  use  a 
regular  fumigator.)  Roses  and  a  few  other 
plants  are  particularly  subject  to  attacks  of 
mildew,  which  causes  the  leaves  to  be  covered 
with  a.  powdery  white  substance,  and  in  some 
cases  to  curl  up,  or  even  drop  ojff. 

Blight, — In  growing  a  miscellaneous  assort- 
ment of  plants,  especiall}^  if  some  are  brought 
in  from  outside,  there  may  be  an  occasional 
attack  of  some  form  of  blight.  Some  of  these 
cannot  be  cured  but  they  usually  can  be  con- 
trolled, so  that  they  will  not  spread  to  other 
plants.  In  such  cases  bordeaux  mixture  is  the 
standard  thing  to  use.  Dead  plants  and  leaves 
should  be  promptly  gathered  up  and  burned. 


96 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


Damping-off  is  a  disease  which  sometimes 
attacks  seedHngs  and  cuttings  in  the  cutting  bed. 
Covering  the  top  of  the  soil  with  sand  which  has 
been  sterihzed  by  heating,  and  care  in  watering 

(by  watering  early  in 
the  morning  in  bright 
weather  so  that  the 
leaves  can  dry  off  dur- 
ing the  day)  w^ill  help 
as  a  safeguard.  Flour 
of  sulphur  sprinkled 
over  the  soil  just  as 
the  little  seedlings 
come  up,  and  among 
the  cuttings  also,  acts 
as  a  preventative. 


Everything  said  in 
this  chapter  in  regard 
to  sanitation,  good 
care,  ventilation,  and 
so  forth,  applies  per- 
haps even  more  to  the 


The  first  rule  in  bii^'  prevention  is, 
avoid  over-crowding.  Hetter  a  mod- 
erate number  of  iiealthy  plants  than 
a  pack  of  sickly  ones. 

prevention  of  diseases  than  to  the  control  of  in- 
sects. Strong  growing  plants  are  not  only  less 
likely  to  be  attacked,  but  are  mucli  better  able  to 
withstand  successfully  the  attack  if  it  does  come. 


CHAPTER  X 

ARMSFUL  OF  BLOOMS  AND  PLANTS  IN  ABUNDANCE 

In  this  little  book  no  attempt  can  be  made  to 
give  a  full  catalogue  of  all  the  kinds  of  things 
you  may  have  in  the  glass  garden,  together  with 
detailed  cultural  directions  for  each.  Such  a 
category  would  fill  several  volumes!  A  list  of 
some  of  the  best  books  pertaining  to  growing 
things  under  glass  is  given  in  Chapter  XXVIII. 
But  just  as  you  can  enjoy  your  car  without 
having  accumulated  a  library  on  the  interesting 
subject  of  motor  engineering,  and  take  pleasure 
in  your  outdoor  garden  without  being  thoroughly 
familiar  with  your  "Cyclopedia  of  Horticul- 
ture," so  can  you  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  your 
glass  garden  without  attempting  to  be  an  au- 
thority on  every  plant  you  grow.  You  will, 
however,  find  that  having  some  of  the  books 
mentioned  is  not  only  helpful,  but  a  source  of 
much  enjoyment. 

In  this  chapter  are  a  few  suggestions  as  to  the 
things  which  you  can  liave  most  readily,  and 

97 


98  Gardening  Under  Glass 

which  are  most  certain  to  behave  satisfactorily 
for  you. 

The  Flowers  You  Can  Count  on 

Violets. — First  of  all,  perhaps,  I  would  put 
Violets.  The  very  word  itself  is  a  vision  of  love- 
liness and  fragrance.  They  may  be  grown  in 
the  coolest  compartment  or  the  coolest  part  of 
the  house.  It  is  best  to  get  good  strong  plants 
at  the  start.  Plants  ready  for  growing  may  be 
purchased  from  the  catalogue  florist  houses.  Or 
root  them  from  cuttings  of  young  shoots,  grow 
outside  during  summer  and  plant  indoors  in 
early  fall.  These  should  be  put  in  the  bench  or 
bed  about  eight  inches  apart  each  way,  or  they 
may  be  grown  singly  in  pots.  They  may  be 
grown  in  a  bench  near  the  glass.  They  like  a 
rather  heavy  loam,  a  soil,  if  possible,  with  plenty 
of  rotted  cow  manure. 

Keep  all  runners  pinched  oft*,  and  stir  soil  fre- 
quently. Remove  all  discolored  leaves  as  soon 
as  noticed.  Water  in  the  morning,  and  keep 
foliage  as  dry  as  possible.  Give  abundance  of 
fresh  air. 

Carnations. — Carnations  in  abundance  for 
personal  use  may  be  had  from  a  few  plants. 
Even  if  your  greenhouse  is  so  limited  in  space  and 
so  full  of  other  things  that  you  do  not  want  to 


Blooms  and  Plants  in  Abundance 


99 


Tmi  HlfU  III  I  


i^M 


Only  one  end  of  a  very  small  house — but  think  of  the  dozens  of  per- 
fect Carnations  you  can  gather  for  your  tables  and  rooms,  and  your 
friends ! 

give  a  part  of  a  bench  for  these  fragrant  blooms, 
a  dozen  or  two  plants  grown  in  seven-  or  eight- 
inch  pots  will  supply  a  remarkable  number  of 
flowers  for  cutting  besides  filling  the  whole  house 
with  their  spicy  perfume. 

If  you  want  to  start  them  in  the  spring,  root 
some  cuttings  from  old  plants  or  small  plants, 
and  grow  them  out  in  the  garden  during  the 
summer,  bringing  them  into  the  house  in  July 
or  August,  for  early  fall  bloom. 

A  moderate  temperature — 50  degrees — will 
answer  for  Carnations.     Set  the  plants  from  8 


100  (iardc)iin(i   Tender  nJasfi 

to  10  inclies  apart.  Tlie  j)lants  slioiild  be  cut 
hack,  (liirin<>'  outside  growth,  to  uiake  theui 
stroug  and  husliy.  As  they  begin  to  make 
growth  inside  the  plants  must  be  supported,  for 
which  purpose  special  wires  are  made. 

Snapdragons. — These  splendid  flowers  are 
one  of  the  easiest  of  all  to  grow.  You  can  get 
the  named  varieties  used  for  commercial  culture, 
or  have  the  fun  of  starting  a  few  hundred  plants 
from  seeds,  and  select  the  ones  you  like  best  for 
growing  under  glass.  As  they  are  readily  propa- 
gated by  cuttings,  you  can  select  shades  to 
suit  your  fancy  and  quickly  work  up  as  large  a 
supply  as  you  want,  to  yield  flowers  for  your 
own  use  and  for  giving  away. 

Plants  may  be  started  readily  from  seed  in  the 
spring,  early  autumn,  or  in  the  greenhouse  in  the 
fall.  You  also  can  buy  plants  ready  to  bloom, 
to  put  into  the  house  in  the  fall.  Set  them  about 
twelve  inches  apart  each  way. 

Roses. — While  the  growing  of  the  special  va- 
rieties of  Roses,  particularly  American  Beauties, 
is  highly  specialized  work,  nevertheless  there  are 
some  kinds  which  can  be  grown  successfully  in 
the  moderate  temperature  of  an  ordinary  general- 
purpose  house.  You  can  bring  in  some  of  your 
garden  Roses  by  taking  them  up  and  storing  them 
for  a  while  as  described  in  Chapter  VIII.     Or  you 


Blooms  and  Plants  in  Abundance       101 

can  get  good  young  growing  plants,  and  either 
keep  them  in  pots  or  set  them  in  rich  deep  soil 
about  12  X  12  inches,  or  12  x  16  inches  each  way. 

Ordinarily,  they  are  set  out  in  spring  or  early 
summer,  so  as  to  becom.e  well  established  under 
the  glass  before  the  blooming  season  begins  in 
autumn.  But  they  may  be  put  in  in  the  fall. 
A  heavy  soil,  with  plenty  of  well-rotted  cow 
manure,  is  best. 

Bridesmaid,  a  large  pink  flower,  and  Papa 
Gontier,  a  good  red,  Perle  des  Jardins,  yellow, 
and  many  others  may  be  grown  in  as  low  a  tem- 
perature as  55  degrees.  The  little  Baby  Ram- 
bler Roses  in  pots  are  most  delightfully  charming, 
and  flower  freely  month  after  month.  By  all 
means,  have  some  of  these  even  if  you  do  not 
attempt  the  larger  sort  for  cut  flowers. 

Perhaps  the  most  charming  way  of  all  of  using 
Roses  in  the  greenhouse  is  to  have  some  of  the 
climbing  or  semi-climbing  sort.  Many  of  the 
climbers,  such  as  the  Marechal  Niel,  the  most 
glorious  of  all  everblooming  yellow  Roses,  and 
others  of  the  Noisette  type,  too  tender  to  be 
planted  outside  in  the  northern  states,  will  thrive 
under  glass. 

Even  with  a  smgle  medium-temperature  house 
Roses  can  be  had  the  year  round — and  I'd  rather 
have  the  clustering  golden  masses  of  the  Noisette 


102  Gardening  Under  Glass 

against  the  wall  of  the  work-shed  and  greenhouse 
than  all  the  long-stemmed,  twelve-dollar-a-dozen, 
purple -in -the -face  -  with -their -own -importance 
American  Beauties  ever  shown  on  Fifth  Avenue. 
Perhaps,  however,  you  are  a  real  admirer  of 
American  Beauty  Roses,  and  futuristic  cretonnes 
and  all  such — so  let's  change  the  subject! 

Chrysanthemums. — These  generous  sized  and 
glowing  coloured  flowers  are  the  most  easily 
grown  of  all  the  flowers  you  will  want  especially 
for  cutting  in  your  glass  garden.  That  is,  unless 
you  will  be  contented  with  nothing  less  than 
giant  blooms  such  as  the  commercial  growers 
have  ready  for  the  football  season  and  the  fall 
shows. 

Personally,  I  think  there  is  no  comparison  in 
real  beauty  between  a  symmetrical  plant  covered 
with  flowers  of  medium  size,  and  the  stiff,  arti- 
ficial looking  one-to-a-stem  exhibition  blooms 
usually  seen.  You  may  have  the  big  fellows  if 
you  want  to,  but  it  means  more  work.  And,  of 
course,  you  can  have  both.  The  culture,  up  to 
a  certain  point,  is  the  same. 

Starting  the  Plants 

If  you  want  to  grow  your  own  "mums"  from 
the  start,  begin  by  securing  a  few  of  the  old 
plants  or  roots  after  the  fall  blooms  have  been 


Blooms  and  Plants  in  Ahundance       103 

cut  off.  You  can  get  these  from  any  florist,  or 
greenhouse-possessing  friend,  as  they  are  usuallj^ 
"thrown  out"  after  the  crop  is  out. 

These  roots,  planted  in  deep  flats,  or  directly 
in  the  soil,  may  be  placed  under  a  bench  or  any- 
where out  of  the  way.  Give  just  enough  water 
to  carry  them  along  until  January  or  February. 
When  the  new  shoots,  which  will  soon  start,  are 
a  few  inches  long,  they  are  rooted  in  sand. 
They  are  grown  on,  giving  two  or  three  shifts 
until  May.  They  may  then  be  set  outside  in 
the  soil  to  be  taken  in  later  to  the  bed  or  bench 
under  glass.  Or,  if  they  are  to  be  grown  in  pots, 
or  plant  boxes,  they  are  kept  in  these.  Or  small 
plants  may  be  bought  in  May  or  June,  for  grow- 
ing on  for  fall  blooms. 

While  "mums"  like  a  rich,  strong  soil  and  are 
greedy  eaters,  they  are  cool  temperature  plants, 
requiring  little  heat,  even  in  the  fall.  In  fact, 
they  may  be  grown  without  any  heat,  in  a  cool 
house,  or  a  grape-house.  But  the  moderate- 
temperature  house  will  answer. 

Training  and  Disbudding 

For  the  biggest  blooms,  the  plants  are  trained 
to  single  stems,  all  side  shoots  being  pinched  off 
as  they  appear.  Only  the  terminal  bud  is  left, 
all  others  being  pinched  out.     For  symmetrical, 


104  (kirdenincj  Under  Glass 

spreading  plants,  with  a  dozen  to  three  dozen 
flowers  of  fair  size,  the  plants  are  pinched  back 
as  they  grow,  to  get  the  desired  shape  and  num- 
ber of  branches.  And  all  the  buds  but  the  ter- 
minal bud  on  each  branch  should  be  removed. 
In  professional  parlance  this  is  called  "dis- 
budding." 

For  exhibition  purposes,  the  plants  are  spread 
and  trained  by  tying  the  branches  to  a  wire 
frame,  so  as  to  get  a  perfectly  formed,  circular 
mound  of  blooming  surface.  Care  must  be 
taken  to  select  the  buds  to  be  left,  so  they  will 
open  at  about  the  same  time.  There  is  a 
good  deal  of  fun  in  trying  your  hand  at  this 
training. 

To  get  fine  blooms,  the  plants  should  be  fed 
with  bone  meal,  tankage,  liquid  manure,  or  some 
special  "mum"  fertilizer,  until  the  buds  begin 
to  show  color. 

The  insect  pest  most  likely  to  give  trouble  is 
the  aphis — in  this  case  a  black  variety.  It  can 
be  controlled  absolutely  by  the  use  of  40  per  cent, 
nicotine  sulphate;  or,  under  glass,  by  fumigat- 
ing with  a  nicotine  preparation. 

Plants  for  Winter  Flowering 

With  all  the  pleasure  that  cutting  your  own 
flowers  will  hold  for  you,  I  don't  think  you  will 


Blooms  and  Plants  in  Abundance       105 

long  be  a  glass  gardener  before  discovering  a 
greater  joy  than  even  your  finest  cut  flowers 
can  give,  and  that  is  the  growing  of  plants  to 
take  into  the  house,  alive  and  laughing,  to  bring 
sunshine  into  your  winter-beleaguered  rooms. 
Cut  flowers,  within  the  limitations  of  "the 
trade,"  any  one  may  obtain  in  abundance;  but 
to  have  your  own  plants  gathering  up  the  golden 
sunshine,  to  save  and  store  it,  and  then  scatter  it 
again  through  your  living  rooms,  bedrooms,  and 
all  over  the  house,  that  is  something  you  may 
attain  to  only  with  a  glass  garden  of  your 
own. 

The  plants  that  may  be  grown  for  your  pleas- 
ure in  this  way  are  so  numerous  that  I  cannot 
attempt  here  even  to  catalogue  them.  Some  of 
these  I  mentioned  in  an  early  chapter  when 
telling  the  things  I  did  with  my  own  first  little 
house.  Let  me  urge  you,  however,  not  to  be 
afraid  to  try  the  good  old  homey  things. 

Geraniums. — Have  you  any  idea  of  the  won- 
derful shades  and  colors  there  are  in  the  dozens 
of  varieties  available — or  do  you  know  them 
merely  as  "red,"  "pink,"  and  "white."  Get 
half  a  dozen  Marquise  de  Castellaine,  with  its 
enormous  brick-red  trusses  on  stems  eighteen 
inches  long,  and  stiff  as  a  goldenrod.  Then 
there  are  delicate  pinks  and  lavenders.     And  do 


106  Gardening  Under  Glass 

you  know  the  new  Pelagorniums,  or  "Pansy 
Geraniums,"  such  as  Easter  Greeting  and  Swa- 
bian  Maid?  A  new  race,  blooming  earher  and 
very  much  longer  than  the  old  Lady  Washington 
that  Grandmother  used  to  grow. 

Heliotrope. — Then  there  is  the  Heliotrope. 
"  So  very  plebeian,"  you  say.  But  have  you  ever 
enjoyed  the  fragrance  of  one  blooming  in  mid- 
winter, in  your  dining-room  window?  You  will 
even  rejoice  that  it  is  old  fashioned  and  welcome 
it  right  into  the  family  circle,  just  as  you  would 
a  certain  silver-haired,  little  old  lady  who  per- 
chance is  now  but  a  hovering  memory  of  your 
childhood  days.  Incidentally,  if  you  want  to 
grow  your  own  Heliotrope  from  seeds,  you  will 
get  a  wide  range  of  shades  and  colors  from 
which  to  make  a  selection. 

Some  professional  gardener  may  tell  you  that 
the  seedling  plants  aren't  as  fragrant  as  those 
grown  from  cuttings.  This  may  be  so,  although 
I  have  always  suspected  that  this,  like  many  of 
the  theories  of  the  practical  grower,  was  slightly 
tinged  by  a  vivid  imagination.  Anyway,  I  have 
grown  thousands  both  ways,  and  their  fragrance 
always  seems  to  me  so  near  a  perfect  perfume 
that  I  have  never  discovered  the  difference. 

Ferns  and  Palms. — Some  of  the  Ferns  and 
Palms  are  tender  and  require  special  tempera- 


Blooms  and  Plants  in  Abundance       107 


A  small  part  of  a  bench  or  two,  devoted  to  Ferns  and  foliage  plants, 
will  keep  your  living  room  and  verandas  constantly  supplied  with  fresh, 
green,  living  decorations. 

ture  and  shading  if  you  want  to  grow  a  complete 
selection.  However,  many  of  the  finest  kinds 
will  get  along  perfectly  well  in  a  general-purpose 
house,  and  can  be  kept  in  condition  there  for 
bringing  into  the  dwelling  house  or  the  conserva- 
tory, as  wanted. 

Used  among  flowering  plants,  of  course,  the 
Ferns  and  Palms  add  a  touch,  an  artistic  finish, 
in  the  decoration  of  your  rooms  that  nothing  else 
in  the  world  can  give.  Then,  too,  the  pleasure 
there  is  in  having  your  own  Palms  and  Ferns 
clean,  green,  and  bright  looking. 


108 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


Have  a  Living-room  Plant  Room 

Of  course,  the  ideal  way  to  use  these  plants  is 
to  have  a  conservatory.  Not  the  old-fashioned 
kind  with  a  shaded  roof  and  a  few  rare  plants, 

which  have  to  be 
looked  after  about  as 
carefully  as  goldfish, 
and  kept  mostly  to 
show  visitors  on  rare 
occasions;  but  a 
general  living-room 
plant  room  flooded 
with  sunlight;  happy 
with  flowers  in 
bloom ;  and  made  de- 
lightful with  the  ever- 
green things  which 
have  been  made  to 
look  and  to  feel  at 
home  there.  A  real 
plant  room  is  really 
a  part  of  the  house,  where  you  will  find  a  cozy 
table,  magazines,  and  comfortable  chairs;  a  pipe 
bowl  mayhap — a  place  to  live  in  with  living 
plants.  Some  plants  may  be  kept  in  a  conserva- 
tory of  this  kind  alone ;  but  if  a  glass  garden  is  at 
hand  to  keep  up  the  supply  of  plants  through  the 


Have  a  living-room  plant  room! 
A  sunny  spot  where  you  can  enjoy 
your  plants  and  your  reading  or 
sewing  at  the  same  time. 


Blooms  and  Plants  in  Abundance       109 

varying  seasons,  and  to  put  things  back  into, 
when  they  have  become  a  httle  bit  house  worn, 
then  you  can  have  a  constant  supply  of  plants 
in  perfect  condition. 

Cactus. — Other  plants  which  should  not  be 
overlooked  for  the  collection  in  your  glass  gar- 
den are  the  Cactus,  citizens  of  the  desert.  While 
not  the  most  charming,  they  are  in  some  respects 
the  most  interesting  of  all  plants,  and  they  are 
the  easiest  of  all  to  care  for.  Many  sorts  simply 
cannot  be  killed;  they  will  exist  no  matter  w^hat 
you  do  to  them;  even  a  broken-off  piece  set  in 
dry  sand  will  take  root,  grow,  and  bloom.  Fur- 
thermore, they  occupy  very  little  space  and  will 
not  need  to  be  re-potted  or  given  much  other 
attention.  You  will  have  lots  of  fun  with  them, 
and  a  collection  that  will  last  for  years  will  cost 
but  a  few  dollars. 

Vines. — With  the  greenhouse  vines  you  can 
produce  the  most  charming  effects  of  all.  They 
make  it  possible  for  you  to  do  real  "landscaping" 
within  the  limits  of  the  glass  garden.  They  may 
be  planted  in  the  solid  soil  under  the  benches  and 
sent  up  the  ends  of  the  greenhouse,  or  along  the 
rafters,  so  that  at  any  point  you  may  frame,  in 
an  inimitable  way,  any  picture  you  wish  to  cre- 
ate. 

In  addition  to  the   Climbing   Roses   already 


110 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


mentioned,  there  is  the  Swainsona  with  Sweet- 
pea  hke  clusters  of  white  and  pink  flowers  and 
attractive  ferny  fohage  Then  there  is  Aspara- 
gus phimosus,  the  cUmbing  "lace  fern,"  not  only 

delicately  beautiful 
where  it  grows,  but 
supplying  the  most 
beautiful  of  all 
"greenery"  to  use 
with  cut  blooms. 

Sweet-peas  will 
do  wonderfully  under 
glass  if  not  given  too 
warm  a  temperature, 
You  may  have  S weet  - 
])eas  not  only  bloom- 
ing in  your  glass  gar- 
den, but  for  days  you 
can  have  their  sweet 
fragrance  right  in 
your  breakfast  room. 
How?  Merely  by  sowing  the  seed  in,  or  trans- 
planting the  plants  into,  a  long,  narrow  wooden 
box  four  or  five  inches  wide  and  six  inches  deep, 
which  may  readily  be  moved.  Such  boxes  are 
often  used  to  start  the  plants  in  till  they  can  be 
moved  to  a  place  where  there  can  be  given  more 
head  room  when  they  are  about  ready  to  begin 


The  beauty  of  vines  you  can  have 
in  your  glass  garden  as  well  as  out- 
doors. Why  not  train  them  to 
permanent  positions,  as  has  been 
done  here? 


Blooms  and  Plants  in  Ahnndance       111 

blooming.  A  box  of  this  kind  can  easily  be 
moved  right  indoors  to  flower  there.  The  box 
itself  may  be  attractively  painted,  or  a  metal 
case  may  be  provided  that  the  wooden  box  can  be 
slipped  into.  Of  course  you  sow  only  the  winter- 
flowering  strain  for  indoor  use. 

There  is  also  a  low-growing  variety  of  Sweet- 
peas  well  named  Cupid,  which  may  be  simply 
planted  in  pots  or  hanging  baskets,  and  allowed 
to  flower  there.  They  are  not  only  unusual  and 
effective  in  the  greenhouse,  but  make  unique 
plants  for  gifts. 

The  Butterfly  Plant,  Thunbergia,  is  very 
easily  grown,  and  covers  a  wide  range  of  colors 
— blue,  purple,  yellow,  and  combinations  of 
these. 

Smilax  is  familiar  as  "greens"  for  florists'  use, 
but  until  you  have  seen  this  growing  after  your 
own  training,  the  most  airily  graceful  and  beau- 
tiful of  all  decorative  vines  when  covered  with 
its  tiny  white  flowerets,  you  can  have  no  idea  of 
its  real  beauty.     And  there  are  the  Ivys. 

The  Tender  or  English  Ivy  (Hedera  Helix)  is 
ideal  for  under-glass  culture.  With  a  little  train- 
ing you  can  produce  with  it  almost  any  effect 
that  you  please,  and  it  will  "stay  put"  for  years. 
There  is  a  variegated  form  which  may  be  used 
effectively — but  as  with  any  plant  of  this  kind,  it 


11 ''2  Gardening   Under  Glass 

is  an  easy  thing  to  go  too  far — to  lose  all  emphasis 
by  the  use  of  too  much  of  it ! 

The  most  rapid-growing  of  all  is  what  used  to 
be  known  as  (ierinian  Ivy.  It  is  very  valuable 
for  quick  growth  and  temporary  use. 

Never  miss  the  opportunity  of  visiting  other 
people's  glass  gardens  w^ienever  you  can.  In 
some  commercial  establishments  you  will  run 
across  things  that  are  new  to  you;  you  will  also 
see  new  things  which  are  listed  in  the  catalogues. 
Buy  a  plant  or  two  "on  suspicion"  to  try  them 
out.  A  couple  of  two-  or  three-inch  plants  are 
never  expensive,  and  if  you  like  them,  you  can 
usually  get  as  many  as  you  want  from  these. 
Keep  your  glass  garden,  as  well  as  the  plants  in 
it,  growing! 


CHAPTER  XI 


BULBS — TO    KEEP    YOU    SMILING 


Bulbs!  What  is  more 
fascinating?  There  are 
the  httle  brown  shiny 
ones  that  look  hke  over- 
grown Spanish  Chest- 
nuts, and  feel  so  satiny 
smooth  to  your  touch. 
Then  there  are  the  un- 
gainly turnip-like  ones 
that  look  as  if  they  must 
have  been  grown  to  chop 
up  for  feed  for  the  cows 
in  winter.  And  in  an- 
other basket,  crinkled 
little  ones  that  look  as 
dead  as  door  nails. 

And  yet  in  these   dull 
baskets,    what    gorgeous 
colors     lay     dormant! 
What    wonderful    daubs    of    burning    crimson, 
gleaming  yellow,  and   azure  blue  your  iinpres- 


Bulbs  to  lend  color  to  your 
rooms  in  winter!  You  can 
bring  them  to  bloom  in  the 
glass  garden,  and  then  enjoy 
them,  anywhere  in  the  house, 
for  days. 


114 


Gardeyiing  Urider  Glass 


sionist  artist  could  get  for  his  canvas  here  could 
he  but  squeeze  the  colors  from  these  wonderful 
tubes.  For  when  it  comes  to  colors,  the  bulbs 
are  in  a  class  by  themselves.  The  first  big  thing 
about  bulbs  is  that  you  can  have  a  succession 
of  bloom  from  early  fall  until  spring  and  do 
practically  all  the  work  in  connection  with  them 
in  a  single  afternoon. 

Here's  how  you  do  it!     First  of  all,  procure 

good  bulbs.  Go 
preferably  to 
some  house  that 
makes  a  special- 
ty of  them.  The 
simplest  sorts  to 
grow  are  Tulips, 
Narcissus,  and 
Crocus.  Due 
^  an  Thol  Tulips 
are  the  earliest 
to  bloom.  Other 
good  sorts  may 
be  had  in  wide 
variety  to  suit 
your  tastes. 
The  bulbs  may  be  grown  either  in  bulb  pans, 
which  are  convenient  to  bring  into  the  house 
when  in  blooms,  or  in  flats.     The  latter  are  all 


^^^^V^Hlr  /  ^^^ 

1 

Cross-section  of  a  pot,  showing  the  niethotl 
of  "crocking"  and  filling  it.  Drainage  ma- 
terial placed  over  hole  in  the  bottom,  pre- 
pared soil  and  space  inside  rim  at  top  to 
hold  water. 


*;-^C     %:^«.- ^. 


Bulbs — To  Keep  You  Smiling  115 

right  if  3^ou  are  growing  quite  a  number  and 
want  them  for  cutting. 

Begin  operations  early  in  October.  Use  a  very 
hght  rich  soil,  and  put  drainage  material  in  the 
bottom  of  the  pans 
or  flats.  Cover  this  /  jL 
with  an  inch  or  so 
of  soil  and  put  the 
bulbs  in  place.     Set 

them,    top    side    up,        p^,^  f|,^,^.prs  or  cutting,  put   tlie  hulhs 

near     enough      to'"  shallow  flats;  then  store  in  a  cold,  dark 

^  place  to  make  root  growth  before  forcing. 

nearly  touch  one  an- 
other.    Then  cover  over  with  soil,  packing  down 
firmly,  until  the  bulbs  are  an  inch  or  so  below 
the  surface. 

Make  Them  Make  Roots  before  They 
Make  Tops 

Now  the  secret  in  bulb  growing  is  to  get  them 
to  grow  roots  before  the  tops  start.  If,  after 
planting,  you  leave  them  in  the  light  and  heat, 
they  will  immediately  start  leaves,  and  amount 
to  nothing.  To  prevent  this,  they  have  to  be 
stored  where  they  will  first  make  roots.  A  deep 
frame  may  be  used  for  this  purpose,  or  a  dark, 
dry,  cold  cellar;  in  either  case  you  must  be  sure 
that  the  storage  quarters  are  free  from  mice. 
Or  a  trench  may  be  dug,  in  a  well-drained  spot. 


110  Gardening  Under  Glass 

about  a  foot  deep  and  long  enough  to  hold  your 
bulb  pans  and  boxes. 

^lake  tags  for  each  variety,  making  very  long 
markers  that  will  stick  up  above  the  soil.  If  a 
trench  is  used,  cover  with  six  or  eight  inches  of 
soil.  In  the  frame  or  cellar,  keep  absolutely  dark 
and  water  only  enough  to  prevent  drying  out. 
On  the  approach  of  freezing  weather,  protect  the 
frames  with  mats  or  cover  the  trench  with  ma- 
nure or  leaves  to  protect  from  freezing. 

This  treatment  results  in  a  strong  growth  of 
roots  without  starting  the  tops.  Then,  after 
four  to  six  weeks,  you  can  bring  into  heat  the 
Hyacinths  and  the  Polyanthus  Narcissus,  and  a 
little  later  the  Early  Tulips.  Other  Tulips 
should  have  at  least  eight  weeks'  start  before 
being  brought  in. 

Keep  them  rather  cool  when  first  brought  in 
— 45  to  50  degrees  is  warm  enough  for  the  first 
week  or  so.  Water  thoroughly,  and  keep  them 
well  supplied  even  after  the  growth  starts. 

Hyacinths  sometimes  begin  to  flower  before 
they  have  made  much  stem.  This  may  be  cor- 
rected by  placing  an  inverted  pot  over  the  plant 
to  "draw  it  up."  Keep  as  near  the  glass  as  pos- 
sible, and  give  plenty  of  fresh  air.  By  bringing 
in  only  a  few  at  a  time,  a  continuous  succession 
of  bloom  may  be  had  until  early  spring. 


Bulbs — To  Keep  You  Smiling  117 

Freesias  may  be  grown  in  the  same  way,  or 
started  without  the  prehminary  root  growth  if 
placed  where  it  is  rather  shady  and  cool,  so  that 
they  will  start  slowly. 

OxALis,  of  which  there  are  several  very  beau- 
tiful varieties,  is  ideal  for  a  plant  for  hanging- 
baskets,  or  to  trail  over  the  edge  of  the  bench. 
Be  sure  to  try  the  different  kinds.  They  multi- 
ply freely  and  you  will  soon  have  all  you  can 
use  and  some  to  give  away.  Oxalis  should  be 
started  before  freezing  weather  to  be  in  good 
bloom  by  Christmas. 

Calla  Lilies  are  not  "forced"  like  the  Tulips 
and  similar  bulbs,  but  require  a  rather  high  tem- 
perature and  an  abundance  of  rich,  heavy  soil. 

They  can  hardly  have  too  much  cow  ma- 
nure and  water.  They  can  be  grown  easily  under 
a  bench  where  they  will  be  near  the  heating  pipes 
and  get  the  sunlight  on  the  north  side  of  the  wall. 
A  better  plan  is  to  give  them  part  of  a  bench 
directly  over  a  heating  pipe,  where  their  roots 
will  be  kept  extra  warm.  They  may  then  be 
grown  in  the  same  house  with  Carnations  and 
other  medium-temperature  plants. 

There  are  a  number  of  varieties  besides  the 
large  white  ones  which  the  florist  uses.  Try 
some  of  the  other  sorts,  such  as  Little  Gem,  God- 
frey, and  EUiotiana. 


118  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Gladiolus  are  very  easily  forced.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  give  them  any  preliminary  storing; 
merely  plant  the  bulbs  in  pots  or  solid  benches 
where  they  will  have  a  rather  cool  temperature. 
They  are  easily  grown  between  Carnations,  or 
in  the  vegetable  house.  There  are  several  va- 
rieties especially  adapted  for  forcing  which  may 
be  kept  for  that  purpose,  but  you  can  grow  al- 
most any  of  your  favorite  garden  sorts  if  you  are 
willing  to  wait  a  little  longer- for  the  bloom. 

Young  bulbs,  which  are.  thick  through  in  pro- 
portion to  size,  are  better  for  forcing  than  much 
larger,  old,  flat  bulbs. 

Spanish  Iris  is  another  most  delightful  little 
flowei^  which  may  be  very  easily  forced  and 
grown  in  the  glass  garden.  While  these  are  Iris, 
they  are  bulbous  plants.  The  foliage  is  rather 
grass-like,  and  the  gracefully  shaped,  beautifully 
colored  little  bloom  has  somewhat  the  appear- 
ance of  a  cross  between  an  Iris  and  an  Orchid. 

Tuberous  Begonia  is  another  thing  not  to  ])e 
overlooked.  This  beautiful  flower  is  not  nearly 
as  well  known  as  it  should  be,  for  the  reason  tliat 
the  florist  can  make  little  use  of  it.  There  are 
wonderful  colors,  and  the  plant  continues  to 
grow  and  l^loom  for  months.  When  they  are 
through,  the  tubers  are  dried  off,  j)ut  away  in 
sand  and   sawdust  for  a  rest,  and  kept   moist 


Bulbs — To  Keep  You  Smiling 


119 


—then  after  a  few 
Thev  are  one  of 


enough  to  prevent  shrivehng- 
months  brought  out  again, 
the     few     flowering     plants 
w^hich  do  well  in  part  shade. 

These  things  by  no  means 
exhaust  the  list  of  beautiful 
flowers  which  come  wrapped 
up  in  bulb  packages.  The 
gorgeous  blooms  of  the  Ama- 
ryllis ;  the  wonderfully  colored 
and  mottled  leaves  of  the 
Fancy  Caladium;  the  Regal 
and  Easter  Lilies;  the  charm- 
ing Cyclamen,  which,  by  the 
way,  is  one  of  the  most  bril- 
liantly colored  and  wholly 
satisfactory  flowers  which  grow  in  a  medium 
temperature — with  all  of  these  and  others  you 
are  probably  familiar. 

None  of  them  offers  any  particular  difficulties. 
Lily-of-the- Valley,  as  the  fforists  handle  it  for 
forcing,  requires  a  good  deal  of  bottom  heat,  but 
you  can  take  up  clumps  from  your  own  outdoor 
plants,  and  grow  them  in  a  moderate  temperature 
under  a  bench.  By  bringing  in  a  clump  or  two 
occasionally,  you  may  have  an  almost  constant 
supply  of  this  fragrant  and  delicate  queen  of  the 
fairy  flowers. 


Some  of  them,  like 
Cyclamen,  you  can  grow 
all  the  way  from  seed; 
or  buy  nearly  ready  to 
bloom. 


CHAPTER  XII 


FRESH  VEGETABLES  THE  YEAR  ROUND 


■*m^^s^ 


Lettuce  all  winter — big  solid  heads 
that  are  crisp  and  crackly,  just  like 
those  from  your  spring  garden. 


If  you  think  that 
clean,  fresh  vege- 
tables from  your 
,^  own  garden  out- 
T^  class  the  things  you 
buy  in  the  market — 
then  you  just  want 
to  try  your  own 
glass  -garden  -grown 
Lettuce,  Radishes, 
or  Tomatoes,  in 
winter!  A  Radish  when  it  is  wilted  is  a  shoe- 
leather  substitute.  A  Tomato  that  has  been 
picked  green  and  shipped  five  hundred  miles  to 
market  and  "ripened"  in  a  heated  store-room 
is  vastly  unlike  the  crimson  globe  of  juicy  good- 
ness that  is  grown  on  a  vine  in  the  sun  in  your 
glass  garden  until  it  is  ready  to  come  off  at  a 
touch.  There  is  only  one  way  to  have  real 
vegetables  in  winter — and  that  is  to  grow  them 
in  your  greenhouse. 

And  when  it  comes  to  the  little  personal  gifts 

120 


Fresh  Vegetables  the  Year  'Round       121 

out  of  the  ordinary — the  httle  things  which  can- 
not be  easily  dupHcated,  which  carry  their  own 
evidence  of  personal  thought,  with  a  note  of 
cheer  and  charm — nothing  makes  quite  so  crisp 
and  welcome  a  reminder  as  a  basket  of  vegetables 
of  your  own  growing.  A  head  or  two  of  buttery- 
looking  golden-hearted  Lettuce,  in  contrast  to 
the  rich  red  of  real  ripe  Tomatoes,  with  the 
pinkish  tips  of  fresh  Radishes  peeping  out  from 
beneath,  is  a  gift  for  a  king  to  give! 

Practically  everything  that  has  already  been 
said  regarding  soil,  drainage,  watering,  fertilizers, 
and  protection  from  insects,  applies  to  the 
growing  of  vegetables  as  well  as  to  flowers. 

The  Sure  Satisfaction  Ones 

The  things  which  may  be  grown  readily  are 
Lettuce,  Beans,  Beets,  Tomatoes,  Cucumbers, 
Carrots,  Radishes,  Spinach,  Cauliflower,  and 
Melons.  Of  these.  Tomatoes,  Cucumbers,  and 
Melons  naturally  require  the  more  heat. 

Where  only  a  single  house  is  available,  they  are 
usually  grown  by  planting  them  early  in  the 
spring,  after  the  other  things  have  been  grown 
through  the  winter.  In  this  way  the  increasing 
temperature  of  March  and  April  is  taken  advan- 
tage of,  to  bring  on  a  crop  weeks  ahead  of  that 
in  the  outside  garden. 


122 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


Asparagus,  Rhubarb,  and  Chicory — the  last 
one  of  the  most  dehcious  of  all  salads — are  easity 
grown  by  taking  up  the  roots  and  forcing  the 
plants.  They  can  be  grown  out  of  the  way, 
under  a  bench,  if  the  space  is  limited. 

While  these  few  things  are  easily  grown  you 
are  by  no  means  restricted  to  this  list.  Practi- 
call}^  anything  that  grows' 
outside  will  grow  inside 
if  given  the  space.  Corn, 
for  instance,  thrives  won- 
derfully; Peas  may  be 
had  in  profusion;  Egg- 
plant will  reach  ideal  de- 
velopment; and  so  on  to 
the  end  of  the  list.  It  is 
almost  wholly  a  question 
of  space.  ]Most  of  the 
vegetables  are  grown  in 
benches  rather  than  in 
pots,  the  bench  having 
advantage  of  giving  more 
head  room,  more  soil  per 
plant,  and  requiring  less 
frequent  watering, 
is  used,  it  should  be  thoroughly 
digging  in  several  inches  of  well- 
It  is  best,  however. 


Com  and  IVas  can  l)C  ^i 
in  a  greenhouse  just  as  well  as 
Radishes  and  Lettuce,  but  their 
yield  does  not  pay  so  well  for 
the  room  they  take.  That's  why 
so  few  grow  them. 


If  the  old  soi 
enriched   b;\ 
rotted  manure,  in  the  fa 


Fresh  Vegetables  ike  Year  'Round       123 

to  use  fresh  soil.  The  okl  soil  may  be  piled  up 
outside,  left  for  two  seasons,  and  then  used  again. 
Sometimes  the  old  soil  is  sterilized  b^^  steam,  or 
with  formaldehyde.  The  latter  is  the  easier. 
Merely  soak  the  soil  thoroughly  with  an  applica- 
tion of  formaldehyde — one  pint  to  30  gallons  of 
water. 

Start  Lettuce  in  August 

Start  the  plants  for  the  first  crop  of  Lettuce 
outdoors,  in  August.     Sow  the  seed  in  a  sheltered 


When  Grand  Rapids  Lettuce  gets  this  size,  it's  just  right 
for  transplanting  either  to  the  greenhouse  bench  or  to  the 
garden. 

place  or  in  a  frame  where  it  can  be  shaded. 
Prick  off  the  little  seedlings  as  soon  as  they  are 
big  enough  to  handle,  putting  them  in  thumb 
pots,  in  flats,  or  in  a  bench,  three  inches  or  so 
apart  each  way.  Before  they  begin  to  crowd, 
they  should  be  transferred  to  permanent  quarters. 
This  should  be  six  or  eight  weeks  after  sowing. 


124 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


The  secret  of  successful  growing  is  to  do  as 
little  watering  as  possible.  A  very  thorough 
watering  should  be  given  just  before  or  after 
setting  the  plants,  and  not  again  until  the  soil 

is  quite  dry. 
Under  favor- 
able conditions 
one  or  two  wa- 
terings will 
carry  the  crop 
through  until 
big  enough  to 
cut. 

Where  only 
a  few  heads  for 
a  small  family 
are  wanted,  it 
is  very  easy  to 
grow  them  in 
pots.  A  pinch 
of  seed  sown  every  two  weeks  or  so  will  give 
enough  plants  to  keep  about  a  couple  of  dozen 
heads  coming  on  continuously.  During  mid- 
winter, you  are  likely  to  get  surer  results  this 
way  than  in  the  growing  in  the  bench,  as 
there  is  less  danger  of  over-watering  and  rotting, 
and  they  may  be  more  readily  protected  from 
the  garden  aphis,  which  is  the  most  serious  pest 


A  plant  of  Grand  Rapids  Lettuce  ready  for 
setting  out  in  the  bed. 


Fresh  Vegetables  the  Year  'Round       125 

in  growing  Lettuce  indoors.  For  aphis,  tobacco 
dust  sprinkled  between  the  plants  when  they 
are  set  out,  and  regular  spraying  or  fumigat- 
ing to  prevent  their  getting  a  start,  should  be 
used. 

Mignonette,  while  not  known  commercially, 
is  one  of  the  most  delicious  of  all  Lettuces  if  you 
do  not  mind  the  slight  brown  tinge  of  the  leaves. 
It  grows  readily  under  glass.  May  King  and 
Big  Boston  are  standard  varieties.  Grand  Rap- 
ids, which  does  not  form  a  head,  but  which  is 
deliciously  crisp  and  tender  when  grown  under 
glass,  is  much  easier  to  grow  to  perfection  than 
any  of  the  heading  sorts.  If  attempting  Lettuce 
indoors  for  the  first  time,  I  would  use  half  of  this 
and  half  of  one  of  the  heading  varieties. 

Just  after  planting,  and  while  the  heads  are 
maturing,  it  is  of  advantage  to  have  the  tem- 
perature a  little  cooler  than  during  growth. 
If  it  can  be  regulated,  a  little  below  50  degrees 
at  these  times  will  be  ideal.  But  for  personal 
use  they  will  come  along  all  right  in  a  general- 
purpose  house  where  the  temperature  is  about 
50  to  60  degrees. 

Some  Root  Vegetables  for  Under  Glass 

Radishes  grown  in  your  glass  garden  will  be 
big  enough  to  begin  eating  in  less  than  three 


126  Gardening  Under  Glass 

weeks  after  sowing  the  seed.  For  commercial 
use,  one  of  the  smaller  earlier  turnip  varieties  is 
usually  used.  But  after  trying  many  kinds  for 
my  own  use  and  also  for  local  market,  I  planted 
only  the  Crimson  Giant  Globe.  This  is  later 
than  many  of  the  others,  but  it  has  been  my 
experience  that  the  roots  get  as  big  as  the 
others  at  the  same  age.  However,  it  is  all  a 
matter  of  taste,  and  your  favorite   radish   will 

grow  indoors 
as  well  as  out. 
One  advantage 
of  Crimson  Gi- 
ant Globe  is 
that  it  will  re- 
main crisp  and 
tender  long- 
after  most  oth- 
ers. The  com- 
mercial grower, 
of  course , 
wants  to  clean 
all  his  crop  out 
in  one  or  two 
gatherings;  but  for  table  use  one  wants  just  the 
opposite. 

Avoid  sowing  the  seed  too  thick.     No  matter 
how  thin  vou  sow  it,  vou  will  have  to  do  con- 


Cauliflower,    "the   cabbage   with   a   college 
education,"  grows  to  perfection  under  glass. 


Fresh  Vegetables  the  Year  'Round       127 

siderable  thinning.  Do  it  just  as  soon  as  the 
little  plants  are  up. 

Beets  and  Carrots  are  merely  sown  in  rows 
like  Radishes,  and  thinned  out  promptly  when 
they  start;  or  you  can  plant  the  seeds  in  flats 
and  set  them  out  in  rows  later,  if  you  cannot 
spare  the  space  to  sow  them  where  they  are  to 
mature. 

A  good  plan  is  to  sow  Radishes  between  the 
rows  of  Carrots,  and  transplant  the  Beets.  You 
will  get  better  results  from  the  same  ground. 
The  Radishes  will  be  gone  before  the  others  need 
the  room. 

Cauliflower  should  be  started  and  grown 
to  considerable  size  in  pots  before  setting  out  in 
the  bench. 

Tomatoes  for  Fall  and  Spring 

Where  Tomatoes  are  to  be  grown  in  a  general- 
purpose  house,  they  are  not  usually  started  until 
about  midwinter;  or  in  July  or  August  for  a  fall 
crop. 

The  little  plants  may  be  brought  on  in  a  warm 
corner  where  they  will  have  bottom  heat;  or  a 
special  frame  may  be  constructed  over  one  end 
of  the  bench  where  a  temperature  of  ten  or  so 
degrees  higher  may  be  maintained.  A  frame  of 
this  sort  will  be  useful  for  many  purposes,  such 


ns 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


as  starting  the  seed  of  tender  plants  that  require 
more  heat.  The  little  plants  should  be  grown 
on  and  re-potted  until  they  are  of  good  size. 
In  fact,  the  first  fruits  may  be  set  before  they  are 

put  in  their  per- 
manent posi- 
tions. 

For  conveni- 
ence, where  only 
a  few  plants  are 
being  grown, 
they  may  be  giv- 
en a  final  shift 
to  10-inch  pots, 
or  put  into  boxes 
ten  inches  to 
eighteen  inches 
s  cj  u  a  r  e  and 
twelve  inches 
deep.  The  large- 
size  box  will 
hold  three  or 
four  plants. 
These  are  readily  moved,  as  the  plants  get  big, 
to  positions  where  the  vines  can  be  trained  up 
along  the  rafters  or  side  walls.  Use  a  variety 
adapted  to  greenhouse  purpose.  Comet,  while 
not  a  large  fruiting  sort,  is  one  of  the  best  I  ever 


The  Tomato  plants  may  be  grown  in  pots, 
occupying  little  space,  until,  with  the  first 
fruits  already  formed,  they  are  ready  to  set 
out. 


Fresh  Vegetables  the  Year  'Round       129 

grew  under  glass;  perfect  in  form,  smooth,  round, 
dark  red  fruit.  The  large-fruited  varieties  may 
be  grown,  but  after  you  try  the  two  side  by  side, 
I  think  you  will  use  one  of  those  suggested  above. 

Unless  the  crop  is  maturing  so  late  in  the 
spring  that  the  bees  come  in,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  hand  pollinate  the  crop.  Jarring  the  vines 
will  do  this,  but  not  perfectly.  It  is  much  better 
to  get  a  camel's-hair  brush,  or  rabbit's  foot,  and 
go  over  the  vines  every  day  or  so,  transferring 
the  pollen  from  flower  to  flower. 

The  plants  are  usually  trained  to  a  single 
stem,  which  is  pinched  off  when  the  end  of  the 
support  is  reached.  The  vines,  of  course,  will 
have  to  be  kept  tied  up.  Use  raffia  which  does 
not  cut  the  stems  like  twine. 

The  Vine  Crops  Under  Glass 

Cucumbers,  like  Tomatoes,  need  extra  heat, 
especially  at  the  start,  but  may  be  grown  in  the 
general-purpose  house.  Start  the  plants  in  July 
or  August  for  early  winter  crop,  and  in  March  or 
April  for  early  summer  crop,  in  a  general-purpose 
house.  In  a  special  house,  of  course,  they  can 
be  grown  continuously.  Put  four  or  five  seeds  in 
a  four-inch  pot,  using  very  light  soil  such  as  is 
recommended  for  sowing  flower  seeds.  A  couple 
of  inches  of  manure  in  the  bottom  will  both  fur- 


130 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


nish  drainage  and  help  to  form  a  network  of 
roots  that  will  hold  together  when  the  plants  are 
set  out.  If  planted  in  a  general-purpose  house 
in  a  solid  bed,  they  can  be  set  over  a  trench  filled 

with  fresh  ma- 
nure, which 
will  give  them 
bottom  heat 
and  will  help 
get  a  strong 
start.  The 
vines  may  be 
trained  in  any 
way  you  like. 
Allow  about 
four  square  feet 
of  bench  space 
per  plant.  A 
convenient 
method  is  to 
train    them    to 


"Cukes,"  as  they  are  trained  up  under  the 
sash  bars,  occupy  very  httle  bench  space. 


wires,  supported  six  inches  or  so  below  the  sash 
bars.  Pinch  the  main  stem  when  it  reaches  the 
end  of  its  support.  Cross  wires  hold  the  laterals 
that  are  sent  out  from  the  main  stem.  This 
forms  a  network,  allowing  the  growing  fruit 
to  hang  down,  and  also  makes  it  easier  carefully 
to  watcit   the  vine  and  fumigate   when   neces- 


Fresh  Vegetables  the  Year  'Round       131 

sary.     The  green  aphis  is  hkely  to  be  the  worst 
pest. 

As  to  varieties,  I  know  of  no  American  sort 
better  than  Davis  Perfect;  but  you  should  try 
some  of  the  English  "forcing"  Cucumbers,  such 
as    Improved 
Telegraph. 
The    English 
sorts  do  not  re- 
quire  pollinat- 
ing. 

Melons. — 
M  e  lo  n  s  are 
handled  in 
much  the  same 
way  as  Cucum- 
bers, except 
that  the  grow- 
ing fruits  are 
so  heavy  — 
weighing  six 
pounds  or  more 
each  —  t  h  a  t 
they  have  to 
be  supported 
in  hammock- 
like nets  to  prevent  their  dragging  the  vines 
from   their  support.     These  inside  Melons  will 


Think  of  having  Melons  hke  these  for  your 
own  picking.  Twenty-four  of  them  (count 
tlieni)  from  this  Httle  2x4  corner! 


132  Gardening  Under  Glass 

have  a  flavor   that   you  cannot   imagine   until 
3^ou  have  tried  one  of  them. 

As  to  variety,  the  best  way  is  to  try  several  at 
first  until  you  find  the  one  best  suited  to  your 
own  tastes.  Blenheim  Orange,  British  Queen, 
and  Royal  Jubilee  are  excellent  sorts  in  my  ex- 


'  ^^^•r^T"^ 

'.' '^Ik.       .  7$   >            ^t4'W"-W&^l^, 

''Jw^^.ri^^M!^^^^ 

■'JfmM 

^l^jKp^' 

'J^' M^^^^%JtMS 

^md 

You  can  get  even  more  perfect  results, 
stance,  grow  only  in  a  glass  garden. 


Such  Melons  as  these,  for  in- 


perience.  Or  your  favorite  garden  variety  may 
be  grown.  Even  if  you  haven't  a  special  fruit 
house,  you  will  enjoy  planting  a  few  Melons  in 
your  glass  garden.     And  don't  be  afraid  about 


Fresh  Vegetables  the  Year  'Round       133 

having  them  grown  with  Cucumbers.  There  is 
nothing  to  the  thought  that  the  one  influences 
the  other. 

Rhubarb  and  Asparagus. — To  have  succes- 
sion, Rhubarb  and  Asparagus  should  be  taken  up 
in  sufficient  quantity  to  bring  them  in  at  three 
or  four  difl^erent  times  during  the  winter,  as  after 
a  period  of  forcing  the  roots  become  exhausted. 
Plant  them  in  very  rich  soil,  and  if  you  have  a 
small  house,  plant  them  under  a  bench  where 
they  will  have  the  sun  on  the  north  side  of  a  walk. 
Use  nitrate  of  soda  generously  as  the  growth 
starts. 

Mushrooms. — The  culture  of  Mushrooms  is 
quite  distinct  from  that  of  any  other  vegetable 
crop. 

The  first  essential  is  a  place  where  the  tem- 
perature can  be  kept  between  55  and  60  degrees. 
Under  a  bench  in  the  greenhouse  answers  ad- 
mirably. It  may  be  kept  shaded,  but  need  not 
be  absolutely  dark. 

The  second  essential  is  a  place  where  the  at- 
mosphere may  be  kept  evenly  moist.  Space 
under  the  benches,  shut  off  by  a  curtain  or  bag- 
ging, may  be  kept  in  this  condition. 

The  third  essential  is  the  manure  which  forms 
the  basis  of  the  Mushroom  bed.  Unless  this  is 
properly  prepared,  success  cannot  be  expected. 


134  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Secure  fresh  horse  manure.  It  may  be  saved 
from  day .  to  day,  but  is  better  if  a  sufficient 
quantity  may  be  had  at  one  time.  Either  the 
straight  manure,  or  manure  with  short  wet  straw 
in  it,  may  be  used.  Save  it  in  a  pile,  turning  and 
wetting  occasionaUy  until  enough  has  accumu- 
lated to  make  a  bed.  Stack  in  a  compact  heap, 
under  cover  if  possible.  Water  until  moist  if 
it  is  dry.     Tramp  down. 

In  about  three  days,  heating  will  begin,  as  in- 
dicated by  "steam"  beginning  to  rise  from  the 
pile.  Then  restack,  putting  the  outside  inside, 
and  wetting  down  again  if  at  all  dry.  It  is  most 
important  to  keep  the  fermenting  vianure  everily 
7noist,  without  being  wet.  After  the  second  turn- 
ing, leave  until  the  pile  again  steams  and  then 
restack  once  more.  At  this  time  add  about  one 
fifth,  in  bulk,  of  garden  or  pasture  loam  to  the 
manure.  After  the  third  or  fourth  turning,  when 
the  heap  is  evenly  heated  through,  is  moist  and 
springy,  and  not  disagreeable  in  odor,  it  is  ready 
for  the  bed.  The  temperature,  as  indicated  by  a 
thermometer,  should  be  between  100  and  125  de- 
grees. 

The  bed  is  made  about  ten  inches  deep.  It  is 
held  in  place  by  a  10-inch  board  on  edge,  when 
made  under  the  bench.  The  first  five  inches 
may  be  of  fresh  hot  manure  covered  with  five 


Fresh  Vegetables  the  Year  'Round       135 

inches  of  the  prepared  manure.  It  should  he 
tramped  or  beaten  down  firmly  as  it  is  put  in. 
Then  cover  hghtly  with  salt  hay,  bog  hay,  or 
straw,  to  hold  the  moisture.  The  bed  is  left  for 
a  few  days,  until  the  temperature  recedes  to 
85  to  90  degrees.  Then  put  in  the  spawn. 
Use  pieces  of  brick  about  the  size  of  an  egg. 
Place  12  X  9  inches,  and  2  to  3  inches  deep, 
pressing  the  manure  down  firmly  over  it.  The 
bed  is  again  left,  for  eight  to  ten  days.  The  hay 
covering  may  be  lightly  sprinkled  or  "dewed 
over"  with  warm  water  two  or  three  times,  to 
maintain  the  moisture. 

Putting  on  the  Loam  Blanket 

In  eight  to  ten  days,  if  the  spawn  is  "running" 
properly,  a  white  threadlike  or  frothy  substance 
will  appear.  Then  remove  the  hay,  and  cover 
the  bed  evenly  with  one  to  two  inches  of  sifted 
soil,  pressed  down  firm.  Light  loam,  from  gar- 
den or  pasture,  is  best  for  this  purpose. 

Maintain  the  moist  condition  by  occasionally 
wetting  down  the  walks,  side  walls,  etc.  If  the 
bed  shows  signs  of  drying  out,  water  thoroughly 
with  ivarm  water — 80  to  90  degrees.  A  little 
nitrate  of  soda — about  a  spoonful  to  every  ten 
gallons — added  to  the  water  will  increase  the 
yield. 


136  Gardening  Under  Glass 

The  bed  should  begin  to  bear  in  six  to  eight 
weeks,  and  continue  for  about  three  months. 
Remove  all  stems  when  gathering.  And  keep 
a  little  sifted  soil  on  hand  to  fill  up  holes  made 
by  removing  big  clusters. 

Finally,  remember  that  failure  with  INIush- 
rooms  is  most  often  caused  by  having  the  manure 
too  dry,  or  allowing  the  bed  to  dry  out. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


FRUITS    FOR    YOUR    OWN    PICKING 


What  is  it 
that  is  so  fas- 
cinating about 
fruits?  You 
may  grow  the 
most  glorious 
Roses,  or  have 
the  sol  ides  t 
heads  of  Let- 
tuce, but  un- 
til you  have 
picked  your 
own  fruit  in 
your  glass  gar- 
den you  will 
not  have 
learned  its  ulti- 
mate delights. 
Grapes. — Of  course,  for  bunches  of  Grapes 
that  will  be  almost  too  heavy  to  lift  and  which 
will  carry  off  blue  ribbons  in  the  fall  exhibitions 

137 


Here's  one  member  of  tlie  family  who  will 
vote  for  the  all-year- 'round  garden! 


138  Gardening  Under  Glass 

you  will  need  a  special  grape  house  and  an  ex- 
perienced grower.  But  here  again,  because  some 
people  grow  Grapes  this  waj',  it  seems  to  have 
spread  that  without  such  equipment  you  can't 
attempt  to  grow  Grapes  at  all.  Now,  I  know 
that  is  not  so.     Because  I  have  done  it! 

In  that  house  which  I  rented,  that  I  told  about 
earlier,  there  were  some  dozen  Grapevines  of 
the  hothouse  varieties,  such  as  Black  Hamburg, 
Muscat  of  Alexandria,  etc.  They  were  planted 
in  a  solid  bed  against  the  south  side  of  the  house 
so  that  their  roots  went  down  under  the  founda- 
tion, out  into  the  soil  on  the  outside  of  the  house. 
Thus  the  roots  would  remain  inactive  until  quite 
late  in  the  spring,  although  we  were  growing  a 
general  collection  of  things  in  this  greenhouse. 
The  part  that  was  occupied  by  the  Grapes  was 
not  given  over  to  them  until  after  we  were 
through  with  it  for  other  purposes,  along  in 
May. 

It  was  my  first  experience  with  hothouse 
Grapes,  and  I  was  able  to  give  them  only  indiffer- 
ent care,  yet  they  bore  abundantly  and  produced 
such  grapes  as,  until  then,  I  had  never  tasted. 

Under  glass.  Grapes  are  trained  to  a  single 
stem  or  cane;  after  fruiting  each  year  all  the 
laterals  are  cut  back  to  a  single  eye.  The  vines 
can  then  be  "laid  down"  out  of  the  way,  along 


Fruits  for  Your  Oivn  Picking  139 

the  wall.  They  are  usuall}^  planted  three  to  four 
feet  apart.  One  thing  I  found  out  was  that  to 
get  good-sized  berries  it  is  necessary  to  thin  out 
the  individual  Grapes  on  each  bunch  as  they  be- 
gin to  crowd,  when  they  are  almost  the  size  of 
green  Currants.  This  requires  steady  nerves  and 
a  keen  eye.  Grapes  are  the  rankest  kind  of 
feeders,  and  you  will  find  it  almost  impossible  to 
give  them  too  much  plant  food. 

Limit  the  number  of  bunches.  Even  with  a 
strong  feeding,  only  two  bunches  are  allowed  to 
set  on  each  lateral,  and  the  vines  then  pinched 
off  two  leaves  beyond  the  second  bunch. 

Grapes  are  often  grown  in  what  is  called  a 
cool  grapery;  that  is,  the  house  is  not  heated 
and  the  vines  are  allowed  to  freeze  and  remain 
frozen  during  the  winter.  The  object  of  having 
such  a  house  is  to  start  them  early  and  give 
them  plenty  of  time  to  develop  under  perfect 
conditions  in  the  fall.  If  you  can  possibly  have 
one,  you  will  find  that  a  small  fruit  house  in 
addition  to  the  regular  greenhouse,  will  afford 
all  kinds  of  fun. 

However,  you  can  have  some  fruits  without  a 
special  fruit  house.  They  can  be  grown  in  pots 
or  wooden  tubs,  and  be  brought  into  the  house 
when  it  is  time  to  start  them  in  the  spring. 
They  are  stored  in  dormant  condition  during  the 


140  Gardenirijg  Under  Glass 

early  winter  months.  If  you  have  never  seen 
Grapes  growing  in  this  way  you  can't  reahze  the 
small  amount  of  space  required 
in  proportion  to  the  outdoor 
crop.  Protected,  sheltered,  and 
given  ideal  conditions  in  every 
way,  the  quality  of  the  fruit  is 
remarkable.  The  gods  on 
Olympus  must  have  had  all 
their  Grapes  grown  under  glass 
— otherwise,  their  nectar  could 
never  have  won  the  reputation 
it  did! 

Other  Fruits  to  Grow  in  a 
Single  House 

But  Grapes  are  not  the  only 
thing  possible  without  the  ex- 
pense of  a  special  house.     Fruit 

You    needn't    be    a     ^j-ggg     orrOWn   iu   potS    Or    boXCS, 
millionaire     to     enjoy  '    '^  ^  _  ' 

real  fruit  from  your  may  be  brouglit  iuto  the  gen- 
own  glass  garden.     A  p           i      • 
half-dozen  Grapevines,  Cral-pUrpOSC    hoUSC    aitcr   bcmg 
grown    like    this,    will  ,           j  •       j                   .              !•.•          <? 

give  you  pounds  of  the   storcd  m  dormant  condition  tor 
most  delicious  Grapes   ^j^eir  rcst  pcHod,  and  will  grow 

you  ever  tasted.  . 

fruit  most  generously.  Just 
take  a  look  at  the  little  potted  Peach  trees.  Do 
you  think  it  would  be  worth  while  to  bring  a  few 
into  your  glass  garden,  about  the  middle  of  win- 


Fruits  for  Your  Own  Picking 


141 


ter,  so  that  you  could  have  perfect  fruit  ripen- 
ing at  the  time  yowY  neighbors  are  thinking 
about  sprajdng  their  outdoor  trees? 

Peaches. — Did  you  ever  taste  a  Peach  grown 

under  glass?  It 
is  so  full  of  juicy 
tenderness  that 
it  is  almost 
ready  to  burst 
open  at  a  touch. 
If  you  have  ever 
picked  a  real 
ripe  Peach  from 
a  tree,  even  out- 
side, you  know 
how  incompar- 
ably better  it  is 
than  the  com- 
mercial fruit 
which  has  to  be 
picked  "firm" 
and  shipped  to 
market.  But 
never  until  you  have  tried  the  glass-grown  prod- 
uct will  you  know  the  perfection  of  lusciousness 
and  flavor  which  a  Peach  or  a  Nectarine  may  at- 
tain. And  you  can  have  them  just  a  few  months 
after  you  buy  the  little  trees,  ready  to  fruit. 


Think  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines,  sugar  sweet 
and  juicy,  ripened  on  the  tree  till  they  are 
ready  to  come  off  at  a  touch ! 


142  Gardening  Under  Glass 

It  does  not  take  a  very  large  house  to  have  an 
under-glass  orchard,  even  where  the  trees  are 
planted  in  the  soil  and  grow  there  undisturbed 
year  after  year.     These  trees  are  trained  to  grow 

on  trellises. 
They  are 
spread  out  fan- 
shaped,  so  that 
every  fruit  is 
kissed  by  the 
sun,  on  both 
cheeks,  every 
day.  If  you 
have  neve  r 
done  it,  you 
cannot  imagine 
what  fun  there 
is  in  training 
the  growing 
trees — pinch- 
ing the  plant 
back  here  and 
there  until  you 
have  it  where 
you  want  it,  making  it  grow  out  sideways,  or  up, 
or  down,  until  you  have  a  framework  after  your 
own  design  or  pattern,  on  which  the  tempting 
fruits  will  hang. 


J  \ 

^■' 

J  -''" 

t: 

A.Tf"*^'" 

^;-^- 

This  shows  cross-section  of  a  special  fruit 
house.  Note  that  the  concrete  bottom  forms 
a  basin  to  hold  the  rich  plant  soil.  The  trans- 
verse wire  screens  ar>e  used  to  train  the  fruit 
trees  on. 


Fruits  for  Your  Own  Picking  143 

The  best  way  is  to  have  the  fruit  house  about 
18  feet  wide;  then  you  can  plant  the  trees  down 
the  centre,  so  that  you  can  have  the  trelhses  built 
across  the  house.  These  may  be  fastened  in 
either  direction  and  you  can  tend  them  from  the 
walks  along  the  sides  of  the  house  or  the  walk 
may  be  down  the  centre  of  the  house. 

Pears  may  be  grown  to  perfection  under  glass 
very  readily.  The  trees  are  naturally  broad  and 
short-jointed  in  habit  of  growth.  The  fruit 
seems  to  have  an  especial  liking  for  under-glass 
conditions. 

Plums  are  neither  quite  so  desirable  nor  so 
readily  managed,  but  if  one  has  a  special  fruit 
house,  they  may  well  be  included.  It  is  well 
to  grow  them,  however,  in  tubs  or  boxes,  as  the 
best  results  are  obtained  by  allowing  the  fruit  to 
ripen  outside  when  it  has  about  matured  in 
growth. 

Cherries. — I  have  never  attempted  to  grow 
Cherries  under  glass,  but  they  are  grown  to 
some  extent.  Being  less  certain  than  the  other 
things,  however,  they  would  seem  the  last  to 
try.  The  small  trees  when  they  are  in  bloom 
are  so  beautiful  that  the  decorative  value  of  the 
plants  alone  is  ample  reward  for  their  care. 
Most  of  the  varieties  may  be  grown  under  glass. 
They  not  only  give  fruit  of  delicious  quality  out 


144  Gardening  Under  Glass 

of  season,  but  are  most  charming  in  appearance 
when  fruiting. 

Ripe  Red  Strawberries  When  the  Snow  Flies 

Strawberries. — The  modest  little  Strawberry 
is  a  perfect  picture   with  its  crimsoning   fruit 

and  the  white 
flowers  in  late 
winter,  when 
one  is  getting 
impatient 
about  the  way 
the  snow  hangs 
o  n  a  n  d  t  h  e 
freezing  nights 
seem  to  show 
no  indication 
of  letting  up. 

Good,  strong- 
new  crowns 
from  the  outside  garden  may  be  potted  up  and, 
after  resting  and  freezing,  brought  into  heat  and 
fruited.  But  the  most  satisfactory  method  is  to 
grow  plants  especially  for  forcing.  Start  early 
in  July  and  root  the  runners  in  three-inch  pots, 
with  prepared  soil  plunged  up  to  the  rim.  A 
clothes-pin  or  a  small  stone  will  hold  the  runner 
in  place  until  rooted. 


A  single  pot  of  Strawberries,  after  a  few 
weeks'  growth  inside,  will  yield  like  this! 
Better  than  paying  seventy-five  cents  a 
quart  for  half-ripened  fruit! 


Fruits  for  Your  Own  Picking  145 

As  the  little  plants  grow,  re-pot  into  four-inch 
and  then  into  six-inch  pots,  using  a  considerable 
amount  of  cow  manure  and  bone  flour  in  the  last 
potting.  This  will  give  strong,  vigorous  crowns 
by  late  fall,  which  may  be  put  in  a  frame  and 
left  there  until  along  in  January'.  Then  give 
them  the  coolest  place  in  the  house,  or  the  coolest 
house. 

After  growth  starts,  give  a  little  warmer  tem- 
perature— 45  to  50  degrees  at  night,  and  keep 
the  plants  as  near  the  glass  as  possible.  A  very 
good  way  is  to  use  suspended  shelves,  with  a 
couple  of  wires  tacked  along  the  sides,  to  prevent 
an}^  danger  of  the  pots  falling.  If  a  warmer 
temperature  is  available,  the  pots  may  be  moved, 
when  the  berries  begin  to  reach  full  size,  as  they 
will  color  more  highly  and  have  a  finer  flavor 
if  they  can  be  given  55  or  60  degrees  during  the 
period  they  are  maturing;  but  they  do  not  ab- 
solutely need  it.  The  main  points  are  to  have 
a  good  rich  soil,  perfect  drainage,  and  keep  the 
plants  where  they  will  receive  all  the  sunlight 
possible. 

In  special  houses,  of  course,  they  can  be  forced 
much  earlier,  but  this  requires  extra  work,  and 
the  flavor,  until  "Old  Sol"  really  begins  to  get 
his  courage  back  along  in  late  February  or 
March,  is  not  up  to  par.     Before  that  his  smile  is 


14G  Gardening  Under  Glass 

a  little  too  weak  to  put  real  sweetness  into  the 
ripening  fruit.  A  narrow  strip  of  wire  netting, 
fastened  around  the  rim  of  each  pot,  will  hold 
the  fruit  up  and  keep  it  clean  if  the  pots  are 
placed  on  soil. 

Almost  any  variety  may  be  grown,  but  it 
is  better  to  select  one  that  makes  fairly  strong 
crowns,  and  with  good  stiff  stems  that  will  hold 
the  berries  up. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


THE  KIND  OF  GREENHOUSE  TO  BUILD 


The  builders  of  modern  greenhouses  can  tell 
you  perhaps  everything  you  want  to  know  about 
how  to  build  and  when  to 
build,  except  one  thing, 
and  that  you  must  know 
first.  It  is:  What  do 
you  want  with  a  green- 
house? 

There  is  available  any- 
thing from  the  little 
built-in  lean-to,  which  is  really  a  living  room  in 
which  you  can  have  plants,  to  a  real  "range" 
with  special  houses  for  different  kinds  of  flowers 
and  fruits.  But  do  not  for  a  moment  make  the 
fatal  mistake  of  thinking  that  because  you  may 
not  have  the  room,  or  time,  or  bank  account  for 
the  latter,  the  former  will  not  be  worth  while. 
The  real  joy  that  you  will  get  from  your  glass 
garden  will  depend  upon  you  and  your  love  for 
plants.  I  know  places  where  there  are  thousands 
of  feet  of  glass,  kept  by  handsomely  paid  gar- 

147 


148  Gardening  Under  Glass 

deners,  which  the  owners  seldom  enter  except  to 
show  them  off  to  visitors.  On  the  other  hand, 
I  know  of  a  range  where  the  owner  is  a  collector 
and  enthusiast,  and  is  literally  jealous  of  the 
time  his   "Orchid   man"   has  to  put  in  there. 


As  the  first  step  toward  greenhouse  getting,  decide  just  what  you  want 
to  do  with  your  glass  garden.  Secondly,  get  in  touch  with  real  green- 
house builders  to  help  you  work  out  the  details  of  planning  it. 


time  he  cannot  afford  to  take  himself.  I  have 
also  seen  dozens  of  conservatories  and  small 
houses  where  the  owner  did  practically  all  of 
the  work  himself  or  herself;  where  you  could  see, 
the  moment  you  poked  your  head  inside  the  pot- 
ting shed,  that  every  nook  and  corner  was  filled 
with  the  joy  of  gardening  and  of  growing  things. 


The  Kind  of  Greenhouse  to  Build       149 

It  all  depends  on  what  you  want  to  do  with  a 
greenhouse.  And  when  you  have  decided  what 
will  best  fit  your  purpose  and  your  purse,  you 
will  have  some  of  the  following  points  to  consider: 

The  Greeiihouse  to  Fit  the  Place 

First  of  all,  a  greenhouse  must  fit  into  your 
place,  and  link  up  with  the  other  buildings  in 
fairly  harmonious  fashion.  You  do  not  want 
anything,  whether  large  or  small,  that  will  be 
an  excrescence!  Of  course  you  must  put  the 
house  where  it  will  get  an  abundance  of  light; 
that  is  absolutely  essential.  It  may  fit  into  a 
nook  or  jog  in  the  house;  be  built  into  the  ve- 
randa; or  made  part  of  one  of  the  boundary  walls; 
or  even  be  almost  concealed  in  a  pergola ! 

Modern  builders  of  greenhouses,  knowing  from 
wide  and  varied  experience  what  can  be  done 
with  curved  iron  frames  and  glass,  can  make  a 
greenhouse  grow  where  one  would  have  thought 
it  was  impossible.  And  where  they  are  put,  they 
stay  put — they  will  remain  there  during  the  life 
of  the  dwelling  house  itself.  That  is,  of  course, 
assuming  that  the  best  in  construction  is  used. 
In  most  things  you  buy,  as  you  have  probably 
discovered,  the  best  is  the  cheapest.  That  is 
more  so  with  a  greenhouse  than  with  anything 
else  you  can  buy. 


150  Gardening  Under  Glass 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  some  danger  of 
going  too  far  in  trying  to  make  the  greenhouse 
fit  in  architecturally  with  the  rest  of  the  place. 
If  you  leave  the  designing  of  it  to  the  architect 
alone,  he  is  very  likely  to  sacrifice  economy  or 


No  pliiec  IS  luo  small  for  u  glass  garden.     It  will  fit  into  some  nook  or 
corner,  or  may  even  be  made  part  of  the  boundary  line. 

growing  quality,  or  both,  to  the  "lines"  he  wants 
to  get.  The  best  way  is  to  have  the  best  green- 
house people  collaborate  with  your  architect  to 
secure  something  that  is  right  both  ways. 

And  there  is  another  thing  worth  considering 
and  will  be  a  saving  of  hundreds  of  dollars.  If 
you  are  going  to  have  a  greenhouse,  get  a 
"standard  built"  one,  that  is,  according  to  a 
standard  specification.     You  would  never  in  the 


The  Kind  of  Greenhouse  to  Build        151 

world  think  of  ordering  an  automobile  with  the 
wheel  base  made  three  or  five  inches  longer  than 
the  ones  the  manufacturers  of  that  car  turned 
out.  Just  so  with  greenhouses.  Manufacturers 
who  have  turned  out  thousands  of  houses  are 
pretty  well  able  to  judge  what  is  the  most  useful 
and  economical  width  for  a  certain  kind  of  type 
of  house;  how  wide  the  walks  should  be;  just 
what  heating  is  required,  and  so  forth.  They 
will  sell  you  such  a  house  complete  in  every  de- 
tail, erected  and  ready  to  fill  with  growing  things 
the  day  it  is  completed,  at  a  price  hundreds  of 
dollars  less  than  it  would  cost  to  have  one  made 
a  few  inches  wider,  or  higher  at  the  eaves,  or 
differing  in  some  slight  detail. 

As  for  heating  equipment,  get  that  with  your 
house  equipment,  designed  for  greenhouse  work. 
Don't  make  the  mistake  of  letting  the  local 
plumber  put  in  something  that  will  not  turn  out 
satisfactorily.  House  heating,  with  which  he  is 
familiar,  is  all  up  and  down;  but  greenhouse 
heating,  on  the  contrary,  is  back  and  forth — 
entirely  different  conditions. 

Let  the  people  who  build  your  house  specify 
the  heating  at  least.  Then  you  can't  go  wrong 
even  if  you  have  a  local  man  put  it  in.  It  is 
best,  however,  to  let  the  builders  complete  the 
whole  job. 


152  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Maybe,  however,  you  want  the  fun  of  erecting 
your  own  house,  if  it  is  a  small  one  and  you  are 
handy  with  tools.  This  can  be  done.  It  comes 
to  you  with  all  parts  cut  and  marked  for  you  to 


The  potting  shed  (or  "workroom"  if  you  prefer) 
is  as  great  a  joy  as  the  greenhouse  itself — in  fact, 
the  glass  garden  without  one  is  only  half  a  garden. 

put  together.  Then,  too,  you  can  save  some- 
thing on  the  cost  that  way — provided,  of  course, 
that  you  charge  your  own  time  up  to  exercise. 
I  have  built  three  houses  myself,  and  it  is  a  lot 
of  fun,  but  if  I  was  buying  another  house  to-day 
I  think  I  would  let  the  manufacturers  put  it  up. 
I  am  sure  I  would  if  it  was  one  of  any  size,  be- 
cause I  know  they  can  do  it  better,  and  it  is 
almost  as  important  to  have  a  greenhouse  ab- 


The  Kind  of  Greenhouse  to  Build        153 

solutely  tight  as  to  have  a  boat  tight.  The 
moment  the  house  begins  to  "leak,"  the  heating 
cost  goes  up  and  can  never  be  brought  down 
again. 

Why  a  Workroom  Is  Necessary 

One  of  the  biggest  of  all  the  joys  of  the  glass 
garden  I  have  barely  mentioned  at  all  so  far. 


Ml  1^               "^^^Ww 

liii  III  1 

Glimpse  in  a  greenhouse  workroom  where  the 
planting  of  the  seed  flats,  transplanting,  re-potting, 
and  so  on  is  done.  Many  a  happy,  carefree  hour  is 
spent  here  in  such  fascinating  work. 

That  is  the  "potting  shed."     The  "workroom," 
some  call  it. 

I  remember  how  I  used  to  stop  on  the  way 
home  from  school  for  a  breathing  spell,  out  of 
the  snow  or  rain,  at  the  greenhouse  on  the  way. 


15-1  Gardening  Under  Glass 

How  good  was  the  odor  of  the  moist  soil  when 
everything  was  frozen  up  outside!  How  pleas- 
ant was  the  suiell  of  the  soft  coal  smoke  down 
the  road,  that  meant  they  were  beginning  to 
"fire  up"  in  the  early  fall  days!  Until  you 
have  had  a  potting  shed,  to  greet  you  when  the 


And  finally — have  plenty  of  frames!     Costing  but  a  trifle,  they  will 
increase  greatly  what  you  can  grow  in  your  greenhouse. 


fall  days  begin  to  get  dreary  and  chill,  you  can- 
not imagine  just  what  it  is  to  have  a  little  place 
of  this  kind  to  retreat  to,  where  everything  is 
snug  and  warm,  where  the  smell  of  the  freshly 
kindled  fire  among  the  things  you  have  trans- 
ferred to  your  winter  garden  brings  assurance 
that  the}'  will  keep  on  growing,  no  matter  how 
hard  a  frost  the  night  may  bring. 


The  Kind  of  Greenhouse  to  Build        155 

It  won't  be  long  before  the  potting  shed  will 
be  one  of  your  favorite  haunts. 

Have  Frames  in  Plenty 

In  addition  to  the  greenhouse  itself,  have 
plenty  of  frames  !  Not  just  two  or  three,  but  a 
string  of  them  as  long  as  the  house  itself.     Often 


If  you  want  your  storage  pit  to  last,  make  the  walls  of  masonry  with 
cast-iron  sills  on  top  and  cypress  frame  and  sash.  Such  pits  are  invalu- 
able for  storing  semi-hardy  things  like  Azaleas. 

it  is  a  good  plan  to  have  one  such  a  deep  frame 
that  can  be  heated  from  the  greenhouse  heating 
system  enough  to  keep  out  frost.  And  in  addi- 
tion to  this,  a  similar  size  coldframe.  It  is  re- 
markable how  the  capacity  and  uses  of  the  house 
will  be  increased  by  this  slight  supplement. 

You  will  find  the  frames  indispensable  for 
plants  such  as  Lettuce,  Beets,  and  Bulbs  that 
are  to  be  brought  into  the  greenhouse  later;  for 


156 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


storing  vegetables,  roots,  such  as  Asparagus, 
Rhubarb,  and  for  Strawberry  plants  in  pots,  or 
the  like;  for  keeping  half-hardy  things  in  the 
winter,  and  again  in  the  spring  for  setting  out 
plants  which  have  been 
started  early  in  the  green- 
house, thus  beating  the  out- 
door garden  by  several 
weeks — for  all  these  and 
many  other  purposes.  It 
is  unnecessary  to  enlarge 
here  on  the  work  in  the 
frames — that  is  done  in 
other  books  and  pamphlets 
of  various  greenhouse  concerns  who  make  frames 
of  all  sizes  from  the  small  ones  called  melon 
frames  to  the  standard  sizes  using  sash  3  feet 
wide  and  6  long. 


This  shows  how  part  of  a 
pit  can  be  easily  converted 
into  a  coldfrarae  or  hotbed 
by  using  a  bench  for  the 
soil. 


CHAPTER  XV 

HANDY   AND    HELPFUL   ACCESSORIES 

Ever  try  to  lace  up  a  shoe  without  a  shoe  lace? 
A  shoe  lace  is  a  little  thing,  but  when  you  try 
to  do  the  job  you  are  supposed  to  do  with  a  shoe 
lace  with  something  else,  you  begin  to  realize 
what  a  handy  thing  a  shoe  lace  is.  The  same 
way  with  the  little  things  you  need  around  the 
greenhouse.  It  has  always  surprised  me  to  find 
people  trying  to  putter  along,  content  to  do  with- 
out a  fairly  complete  equipment  of  these  little 
things.  Some  of  these  have  been  mentioned 
already.  But  to  round  them  all  up  together 
and  see  at  a  glance  the  things  that  the  potting 
shed  should  contain,  I  have  put  them  here  with 
a  few  very  brief  remarks  on  each. 

Before  you  have  gone  very  far  with  your  green- 
house you  will  find  yourself  thoroughly  interested 
in  having  your  potting  shed  complete;  and  even 
add  a  little  zest  to  it  by  playing  that  old  game, 
"a  place  for  everything,  and  everything  in  its 
place."  Incidentally,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  work 
out  a   color   scheme   of   your   own,   and   paint 


158  GardeNifiy  Under  Glab-s 

everything  that  is  hkely  to  be  begged,  borrowed, 
or  stolen.  You  will  find  that  this  will  be  a  great 
help  to  your  friends'  memories.  It  is  a  con- 
venience sometimes  to  be  able  to  identify  your 
own  things  when  you  find  them,  without  having 
to  question  anybody's  good  intentions  or  bad 
memory.     Now  as  to  what  you  want. 

Soil  Ingredients  and  Fertilizers 

Prepared  Soil. — For  directions  for  mixing 
see  page  40.  Keep  a  good  supply  ahead  in 
barrels,  or  in  a  bin  under  the  work  bench. 

Rotted  Sod. — Some  of  this  kept  separately 
will  be  handy  for  many  uses.  Have  plenty  of 
it  on  hand  each  fall,  to  see  you  through  the 
winter  and  early  spring. 

Leaf  Mould. — Gather  a  supply  of  this  from 
the  woods  in  autumn.  Get  it  where  it  is  best — ■ 
way  down  under  the  top  leaves.  A  barrel  will 
hold  a  surprisingly  large  amount  of  it  when  you 
get  it  packed  tight. 

Humus. — This  is  finely  pulverized,  resembling 
an  extremely  light,  fine  soil.  It  comes  by  the 
bag,  or  ton,  and  is  a  fine  thing  to  have  on  hand, 
especially  when  you  can't  get  leaf  mould. 

Peat. — This  is  used  for  many  purposes,  par- 
ticularly for  growing  Orchids  and  the  like.  It 
can  be  bought  from  a  florist  or  seed  house. 


Handy  and  Helpful  Accessories  159 

Sand. — Good,  clean  builders'  sand.  Medium- 
size  grains,  and  grit,  used  for  rooting  cuttings, 
and  also  to  make  soil  friable. 

Bone  Meal. — You  have  more  use  for  this 
than  for  any  one  fertilizer.  Get  some  of  the 
coarse,  raw  bone,  called  "rose-grower's"  bone, 
and  some  of  the  bone  flour.  Use  the  latter 
where  quick  results  are  wanted.  For  soil  in 
benches  and  in  potting  up,  use  in  proportions  of 
about  half  and  half. 

Sheep  Manure. — It  is  very  good  when  you 
can  get  the  genuine  article.  Commercial  ma- 
nure should  be  used  with  care.  Cow  manure, 
while  not  as  strong,  is  staple  for  many  purposes. 
Tankage  and  dried  blood  contain  more  nitrogen 
than  bone,  and  are  used  for  many  purposes,  es- 
pecially for  top-dressing  flowering  plants. 

Nitrate  of  Soda. — The  quickest  of  all  fer- 
tilizers. Good  for  stimulating  leaf  and  vine 
growth,  and  bringing  along  backward  plants. 
This  should  be  used  as  a  liquid,  one  tablespoonful 
to  three  to  ten  gallons  of  water. 

Fertilizer  Complete. — A  special  "Green- 
house Mixture,"  containing  5  per  cent,  of  nitro- 
gen, 8  per  cent,  of  phosphoric  acid,  and  3  per 
cent,  of  potash,  made  up  from  the  best  materials, 
is  put  up  by  the  Nitrate  Agencies  Company  of 
New  York. 


160  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Tools  and  Plant  Helps 

Trowel.^ — ^This  perhaps  occurs  to  you  as  the 
first  tool  the  gardener  will  get;  but  it  is  in  only 

one  greenhouse  out  of 
twenty  that  you  will 
find    a    really    good 

Of  course  you  need  a  trowel.     Get  a     trnAVP'l  TVk^it-     n  r«^ 

good  one  that  can  stand  a  little  pry-     ^rOWei.  1  UCy     aiC 

ing  without  crumpling  up  or  the   made,    but   vou   mav 

handle  loosenuig. 

have  to  try  several 
places  before  you  succeed  in  getting  one.  The 
kind  that  are  ordinarily  offered  are  not  worth 
carrying  home.  Get  a  good  one,  cut  your  initials 
in  it,  and  enjoy  it  for  years. 

Transplanting  Fork. — The  little,  short-han- 
dled fellow  with  broad,  flat  prongs.  You  never 
know  how  handy  this  is 
until  you  try  to  get  along 
without  it,  after  you  have 
had  one. 

Dibbers.  — You    can  por    transphmting    small 

buy    one,    or    make   one      ?/?"*«  use  a  sharp-ended 

•^                                      ,           .  stick    or    dibble.     Here    is 

yourself  out  of  a  nice  piece  one    with  a  curved    handle 

n               1         Ti    •      1           1        ■  ^°*1  metal-shod   end   which 

Ot  wood.       It  is   handy   to  costs    but    little    and    lasts 

have  a  couple  on  hand,      y^"'"  lif^^time. 
One  with  a  point  not  much  bigger  than  a  lead 
pencil  for  transplanting  small  things;  and  a  big- 
ger one  for  cuttings  and  the  like. 


Handy  and  Helpful  Accessories  161 

Float. — This  is  nothing  but  a  flat  piece  of 
wood  convenient  in  size,  with  a  handle  on  one 
side.  It  is  used  for  pressing  the  soil  down  in 
flats,  or  making  the  ground  level  before  planting, 
or  after  seed  sowing.  Just  one  of  the  little  things 
that  help  speed  up  work,  and  which  is  also  fun 
to  use. 

Spade. — Get  a  good  one,  the  best  you  can  buy. 
Metal    strip    on    the 


handle  — front  and  E>  ^"^^^ 

back.     Keep  it  clean.      ,,        .  .    x  n 

Wipe    on    with    an    old    needofaspade— a  spade,  not  a  shovel 

,  — suffice  that  you  can't  "keep  house" 

rag     when     you     are    without  it.    Get  a  good  one  and  you'll 

through  using  it.  You  ''"^"^  """^  '°  ^"^  ^°°*^^''- 
will  find  as  much  difference  between  using  a  clean 
spade  and  an  old  rusty  one  as  between  a  sharp 
and  dull  razor  blade. 

Spading  Fork. — The  kind  with  four  or  five 
flat  teeth.  This  is  handier  than  a  spade  for 
digging  up  solid  beds  and  breaking  up  lumps,  etc. 
Some  remarks  as  to  quality  apply  here. 

Sieves. — You  will  need  at  least  two,  a  fine  and 
a  coarse.  They  are  made  up  of  extra-heavy 
wire  for  florists'  use.  Obtainable  from  any  seed 
house. 

Weeders. — Cultivation  is  as  necessary  under 
glass  as  out  in  the  open.  In  addition  to  a 
"finger"  weeder  to  use  in  the  hand,  it  is  well  to 


162  Gardening  Under  Glass 

have  one  on  a  handle  for  getting  into  the  middle 
of  a  solid  bed  if  necessary.  A  light,  small  hoe  is 
also  suitable  for  this  work. 

Plant  Supports. — For  Carnations,  Roses, 
and  other  things.  Get  a  supply  of  the  galva- 
nized wire  ones.  Sticks  are  inconvenient  and 
always  breaking  when  you  don't  want  them  to. 
There  are  several  different  good  ones.  De- 
scribed in  any  seed  catalogue  that  lists  green- 
house supplies. 

Kaffia. — This  is  a  dried,  tough  fibre  used  in 
place  of  string  for  tying  up  plants,  etc.  Doesn't 
cut  the  plants  as  string  does.  It  is  soft,  conven- 
ient to  tie,  and  does  not  quickly  rot. 

Long  Screw  Eyes.— These  are  used  for  sup- 
porting wires  and  trellises  at  a  distance  of  six 
inches  or  more  from  the  side  walls  or  roof  bars, 
where  Tomatoes,  Melons,  or  Grapes  are  to  be 
trained.     Keep  a  supply  on  hand. 

Shelf  Brackets. — These  are  designed  to 
fasten  to  the  roof  bars,  to  support  board  shelves 
for  holding  pots  when  the  houses  are  temporarily 
crowded,  or  to  hold  seedlings.  Strawberries,  or 
other  things  which  it  is  desirable  to  get  as  close 
to  the  glass  as  possible. 

Other  brackets  are  designed  to  go  on  the  side 
walls,  or  to  fasten  to  the  supporting  upright  posts 
to  carry  temporary  shelves.     It  is  a  good  thing 


Handy  and  Helpful  Accessories         163 

to  have  these  on  hand,  as  they  often  save  over- 
crowding on  the  benches,  with  the  result  that 
plants  which  would  otherwise  have  to  suffer 
or  be  discarded  can  be  kept  in  perfect  condition 
until  there  is  more  room  available.  They  are 
especially  useful  in  the  spring,  just  before  it  is 
warm  enough  to  put  things  out  into  the  frames. 
Labels. — Don't  forget  these.  You  will  prob- 
ably have  most  use  for  4 -inch  labels.  A  few  of 
the  long,  narrow  ones  will  come  in  handy  in  all 
sorts  of  wa^^s.  A  few  wired  labels  which  you 
can  tie  on  the  tops  of  bamboo  sticks  for  use  in 


To  reach  all  the  plants  on  the  greenhouse 
bench  you  need  a  long-necked  sprinkling  can. 
Get  a  good  one,  galvanized.  Use  it  the  first 
season,  then  paint  it  and  you  can  hand  it  down 
for  your  children  to  use. 


Watering  hose  '. 
way  of  wearing  out 
and  springing  leaks 
at  the  kinky  places. 
If  you  have  these  jiffy 
hose  menders  on  hand 
all  you  need  do  is  cut 
out  the  poor  spot, 
push  the  ends  over  the 
metal  necks  and  ham- 
mer down  the  prongs. 


bulb  pans,  to  separate  the  varieties  when  they 
are  covered  with  soil,  will  also  be  handy. 

Indelible  Pencil. — Along  with  the  labels  get 


164  Gardening  Under  Glass 

a  pencil  that  will  write  readily  and  won't  wash 
out.  Ink,  of  course,  is  no  good,  nor  an  ordinary 
lead  pencil. 

Glass  Cutter.^ — There  will  be  occasions  for 
cutting  glass.  You  often  need  a  piece  of  glass, 
and  a  moderate-size  cutter  will  save  a  deal  of 
exasperation.  To  cut  glass,  lay  it  on  a  perfectly 
smooth  surface,  and  then  hold  a  straight  edge 
where  you  want  to  cut.  Draw  the  cutter  wheel 
once  with  a  steady,  firm  pressure.  Never  try  to 
cut  over  again  on  the  same  place.  After  you 
have  marked  the  surface,  turn  the  glass  over  and 
tap  very  lightly  along  the  line  with  something 
light  and  hard.     The  glass  will  then  part  readily. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

AROUND  THE  YEAR  IN  THE  CRYSTAL  GARDEN 

It  is  not  only  during  the  siege- time  of  winter, 
but  every  month,  every  week,  that  there  are 
things  of  absorbing  interest  to  do  in  the  garden 
under  glass.  As  many  of  the  most  joyous 
achievements  with  flowers  and  vegetables  have 
to  be  planned  for  a  long  time  before,  this  little 
"round-up"  of  greenhouse  activities  is  presented 
for  the  benefit  of  the  beginner — a  sort  of  guide, 
philosopher,  and  friend  in  reminder  form.  Just 
some  of  the  most  important  things  which 
should  be  given  attention  from  time  to  time,  to 
keep  everything  running  smoothly,  so  that  you 
will  not  occasionally  find  yourself  saying,  "Why 
didn't  I  think  of  that  when  it  was  time  to  sow 
the  seed!     Now  I'll  have  to  wait  another  year!" 

The  following  is  by  no  means  a  complete  list 
of  everything  that  can  be  done;  but  it  is  enough 
to  help  in  the  right  direction.  Make  a  practice 
of  dropping  in  to  see  your  friends,  and  your 
friends'  gardeners;  and  keep  tabs  on  what  they 
are  doing,  so  that  you  can  pick  up  all  the  new 


166  Gardening  Under  Glass 

"wrinkles"  tliat  develop.  And  if  you  make 
these  little  pilgrimages  with  an  open  mind  and 
a  not  too  intrusive  disposition,  you  will  find  your- 
self gathering  bits  of  valuable  information  here 
and  there  that  will  enable  you  not  only  to  do 
new  things  but  to  do  old  ones  better. 

Keep  a  little  diary  of  your  greenhouse  activ- 
ities. You  will  find  it  a  lot  of  fun  to  do  this 
once  you  get  the  habit.  And  the  record  will  be 
invaluable  to  you  when  you  have  completed  the 
circle  of  the  year's  work,  and  start  in  again  next 
year. 

January 

First:  Send  for  the  dealers'  new  catalogues! 
I  don't  know  where  you  can  get  so  much  fun 
and  information  for  your  money  as  from  the 
average  seedsman's,  florist's,  or  nurseryman's 
catalogue.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  have  books 
and  magazines;  but  for  the  latest  news  in  the 
plant  world  you  must  go  to  the  catalogues. 

And  then  there  are  the  various  helpful  book- 
lets which  are  published  by  the  greenhouse  con- 
cerns, and  by  the  manufacturers  of  tools  and 
insecticides,  etc.  A  good  collection  of  these  will 
form  one  of  the  most  valuable  parts  of  your 
library. 

Prepare  soil  for  starting  seeds.     See  page  39. 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         167 

Make  up  flats  and  boxes  and  buy  seed  pans  so 
as  to  have  everything  in  readiness  for  sowing. 
There  will  be  more  seeds  to  sow  during  the  next 
few  weeks  than  at  any  other  time  in  the  year. 

Testing  old  seeds.  This  may  be  done  readily 
by  counting  out  a  score  or  a  hundred  seeds,  and 
planting  in  the  ordinary  way.  Then  keep  track 
of  the  percentage  which  grow.  This  test  may 
save  you  many  disappointments  with  flowers 
and  vegetables  to  be  sown  outdoors  later.  Fore- 
warned is  forearmed! 

Vegetables  for  forcing.  If  you  have  only  a 
one-temperature  house,  Cucumbers,  Tomatoes, 
and  Melons  to  be  grown  inside  later  should  be 
planted  this  month  or  next.  If  you  have  both 
a  high  and  a  low  temperature  house,  successive 
planting  of  the  various  vegetables  can  be  made 
now,  to  keep  up  the  supply. 

Bring  in  fruits  in  pots  or  tubs  for  extra  early 
use.  Also  Strawberries.  Unless  you  have  a 
regular  fruit  house,  however,  most  of  these 
should  not  be  started  until  a  little  later. 

Start  seeds  for  plants  for  next  Thanksgiving 
and  Christmas.  Ardisia,  Solanum,  Abutilons, 
Fuchsias,  Grevilla  robusta,  and  similar  things 
requiring  the  greater  part  of  a  year  to  mature, 
should  be  started  now  for  growing  through  the 
summer. 


168  Gardening   Under  Glass 

Start  annuals  for  cutting  under  glass.  Very 
often  there  is  a  bad  lapse  between  the  last  of 
the  good  indoor  flowers  and  the  first  of  the  gar- 
den outside.  To  bridge  this  gap  start  now  a 
good  supply  of  Asters,  Clarkia,  etc. 

Bring  in  hard-wooded  plants.  Lilacs,  Hardy 
Azaleas,  Clematis,  Laurels,  and  other  plants  set 
in  pots,  or  which  have  been  stored  for  forcing, 
may  be  brought  in  now — a  few  at  a  time  to  give 
a  continuous  supply. 

Start  a  new  crop  of  Sweet-peas  for  late  spring 
flowering  to  keep  up  the  supply  until  the  first 
blooms  are  ready  out  of  doors.  Use  a  green- 
house variety. 

Start  into  active  growth  stock  plants  and 
greenhouse  plants  to  make  material  for  cutting. 
Old  plants  of  Geraniums,  Begonias,  Heliotropes, 
etc.,  cut  back  quite  severely  now,  re-potted  and 
given  a  little  more  water,  will  "break"  to  new 
growth,  making  ideal  material  for  cutting  a  few 
weeks  hence. 

Keep  fall-rooted  cutting  coming  on  without  a 
check.  Young  plants  started  last  fall,  if  they  are 
allowed  to  get  pot-bound  now,  will  be  severely 
injured.  It  is  not  desirable  to  force  the  growth 
during  the  winter  months  but  they  must  be  given 
enough  water  and  shifted  frequently  enough  so 
that  they  will  keep  growing.     Dry  off  and  rest 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         169 

plants  that  have  been  working  hard  through  the 
winter.  This  apphes  especially  to  plants  grown 
for  the  holidays  such  as  Poinsettias,  Azaleas,  etc. 
Gradually  reduce  the  amount  of  water  and  if 
possible  move  to  cooler  quarters.  When  dor- 
mant they  may  be  stored  under  a  bench.  Place 
on  their  sides  if  there  is  danger  of  water  leaking 
through  from  on  top — until  time  to  start  into 
growth  again. 

Keep  flowering  plants  well  fed.  Carnations, 
Roses,  Snapdragons,  and  other  plants  from  which 
you  have  been  cutting  heavily  will  need  frequent 
top  dressings  to  maintain  the  size  and  quality  of 
flowers.     See  Chapter  VII  on  /Fertilizers. 

Divide  old  plants  and  re-pot.  Plants  such  as 
Begonias,  Daisies,  Geraniums,  and  Ferns  may  be 
divided  now  into  several  smaller  plants,  re-potted, 
and  started  on  the  way  to  make  fine  new  plants 
by  spring. 

February 

Go  over  the  list  of  January  activities  and  take 
up  any  which  have  not  been  attended  to. 

Dry  off  and  rest  holiday  and  mid-winter  plants 
such  as  Azaleas  and  the  like,  which  have  come 
to  the  end  of  their  flowering  time. 

Start  stock  plants  into  active  growth  to  fur- 
nish the  materials  for  cuttings  later. 

Overhaul  Ferns  and  other  ornamental  foliage 


170  Gardening  Under  Glass 

plants.  Within  a  few  weeks  they  will  begin 
their  new  growth,  and  on  that  they  will  have 
to  depend  for  their  beauty  next  winter. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  month  a  few  cuttings 
may  be  made  from  such  plants  as  were  started 
into  active  growth  last  month.  Geraniums, 
Paris  Daisies,  Salleroi  Geraniums,  Heliotrope, 
started  now  will  make  fine  big  plants  for  setting 
out  as  early  as  possible  in  the  spring.  If  you  are 
carrying  any  Coleus  through  the  winter,  give 
them  the  warmest  spot  available. 

Sow  seeds  of  Pansies,  Daisies,  Annual  Phlox, 
and  the  like. 

Sweet-peas  started  now,  two  or  three  seeds  in 
a  pot,  can  be  re-potted  two  or  three  times  and 
will  be  strong,  husky  plants  to  set  out  late  in 
March  or  early  in  April,  as  soon  as  the  ground 
can  be  dug.  They  will  give  flowers  weeks  ahead 
of  the  seeds  sown  outside. 

Start  this  month  Cabbage,  Beets,  Lettuce, 
Kohl-rabi,  Onions,  Cauliflower,  and  Celery  for 
extra-early  crops. 

Fruits  and  Strawberries  taken  in  last  month 
should  be  making  good  growth  now.  Syringe 
frequently  and  keep  well  supplied  with  plant 
food  and  water. 

Make  another  planting  of  Gladiolus  bulbs  in- 
side for  early  spring  bloom. 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         171 

Take  in  cut  sprays  of  early-flowering  shrubs 
and  put  in  water  in  a  warm  place  to  flower. 
Just  as  they  are  breaking  into  bloom  they  may 
be  removed  to  the  living  room. 

March 

Start  Eggplants,  Tomatoes,  and  Cauliflower 
for  outdoors  early  in  the  month. 

Melons,  Cucumbers,  Squash,  Lima  Beans  may 
be  started  in  seed  pans  or  flats  for  transplanting 
later  for  a  summer  crop  in  the  greenhouse. 

Make  adequate  sowings  of  such  annuals  and 
perennials  as  Begonias,  Pansies,  Petunia,  and 
any  other  which  are  wanted  and  have  not  yet 
been  sown. 

Start  bulbs  now  to  pot  up  later  for  summer 
bedding  such  as  Cannas,  Begonias,  Tuberoses, 
Caladiums,  and  the  like. 

Pot  up  cuttings  put  in  the  propagating  bench 
last  month  as  soon  as  roots  begin  to  form. 

Unless  ample  supplies  of  Carnations,  Chry- 
santhemums, and  Snapdragons  are  already 
started,  make  another  batch  of  cuttings  now. 

Be  sure  to  keep  Chrysanthemums  shifted  as 
often  as  necessary  to  larger  pots  to  obtain 
strong,  rapid  growth. 

Re-pot  Carnations  so  as  to  get  stocky  plants 
tor  setting  outside  next  month. 


172  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Be  sure  to  get  supports  ready  well  in  advance 
for  Grapes,  as  the  new  growth  will  be  exceedingly 
rapid  when  it  begins.  Same  for  Cucumber  and 
Melons  that  may  be  making  a.  start  now. 

Be  sure  to  label  every  plant  carefully. 

April 

Transfer  from  the  greenhouse  to  frames,  for 
hardening  off,  all  the  "hardy"  vegetable  plants 
and  bedding  plants.  Follow  these,  as  soon  as 
the  weather  is  warm  enough,  with  the  tender 
plants.  Ordinary  sash  will  keep  them  safe  from 
several  degrees  of  frost. 

Set  out,  inside.  Cucumber,  Tomatoes,  Egg- 
plants, Melons,  etc.,  for  extra-early  crop  under 
glass. 

Sow  seed,  inside,  of  Peas,  Sweet  Corn,  and  such 
other  tender  vegetables  as  there  may  be  room 
for. 

Pot  up  the  bulbs  started  last  month  into 
three-  or  four-inch  pots,  using  good  rich  compost 
so  as  to  have  strong  growing  plants  to  put  out- 
side next  month. 

Re-pot  plants  in  small  pots,  and  give  plenty 
of  room  to  pots  on  the  benches  as  growth  is  very 
rapid  now  and  over-crowding  quickly  does  serious 
injury. 

Pot  up  last  cuttings  of  Carnations,  Chrysan- 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         173 

themums,  and  the  like,  and  re-pot  plants  already 
established. 

Increase  rare  varieties  of  Dahlias  by  cuttings. 
Be  sure  to  make  the  cut  just  below  a  joint,  as 
otherwise  the  plant  will  not  form  bulbs  during 
the  summer, 

Roses  may  be  set  out  inside  as  soon  as  there  is 
room.  They  are  grown  on  inside  during  summer 
for  fall  and  winter  bloom. 

Water  only  around  the  plants  at  first,  instead 
of  soaking  entire  bed. 

Keep  sulphur  paste  painted  on  pipes,  espe- 
cially during  damp,  muggy  weather. 

Make  up  window  boxes,  hanging  baskets, 
vases,  etc.,  so  as  to  have  the  plants  well  estab- 
lished and  growing  before  these  are  put  outside 
next  month.  This  saves  the  three  or  four  weeks 
while  the  plants  are  getting  a  start  if  they  are 
set  in  the  boxes  outside. 

May 

Move  things  outdoors  or  to  the  frames  as 
rapidly  as  possible. 

Keep  plants  which  are  left  in  the  house  picked 
up  and  placed  close  together  so  that  they  will  not 
be  neglected  or  dry  out  too  rapidly. 

Attend  to  watering  with  the  greatest  regular- 
ity.    Do  not  let  up  on  fumigating,  watch  for 


174  Gardening  Under  Glass 

insects  closely,  as  much  damage  may  be  done 
in  a  few  days  if  they  get  a  start. 

Plant  Melons  and  English  Cucumbers  to  help 
keep  the  house  full  during  the  summer  months. 

If  already  started  in  pots  or  planting  boxes, 
move  these  into  their  permanent  positions. 

Re-pot  plants  for  flowering  for  next  fall  and 
winter.  Keep  pinched  back  so  as  to  make  good, 
stocky,  shapely  plants.  Transfer  these  plants 
to  the  open  as  soon  as  possible,  plunging  pots  in 
gravel  or  sifted  ashes  to  hold  them  in  position 
and  conserve  moisture.  Re-set  occasionally  to 
keep  roots  from  going  through  the  pot. 

Start  sod  pile,  to  make  sure  of  plenty  of  good 
soil  for  next  fall. 

Dry  off  Callas,  Oxalis,  and  other  bulbs  that 
have  been  blooming  through  the  spring. 

Grapes  will  be  growing  rapidly  now;  keep 
pinched  back  every  day  or  two.  Remove 
growth  of  laterals  beyond  bunches. 

Secure  a  quantity  of  j^oung  Ferns  to  grow  on 
for  winter  and  fall.  If  you  have  a  surplus  they 
make  most  excellent  gifts. 

Set  outdoors:  Carnations,  Snapdragons,  and 
other  things  to  be  grown  on  for  planting  inside 
in  fall.  Set  out  stock  plants,  and  in  fact  any- 
thing which  will  do  as  well  in  the  open  ground 
during  the  summer, 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         175 

Make  as  much  room  as  possible  Inside,  and 
then  utihze  it.  Anything  that  can  go  out  will  re- 
quire less  care  outside  than  in. 

June 

Clean  out  the  house,  or  sections  of  it,  and  re- 
paint or  sterilize  preparatory  to  putting  in  new 
soil  or  new  crops.  This  is  the  best  time  to  do 
any  repairing  there  may  be  needed. 

Sow  for  next  fall  and  winter  J5egonias,  Snap- 
dragons, iTeliotropes,  etc. 

Put  in  Roses  if  not  already  planted. 

Procure  shading  material  and  shade  part  of 
the  house  for  such  things  as  do  not  like  full  sun- 
light— Ferns,  Palms,  and  other  decorative  foliage 
plants. 

Make  sure  of  plenty  of  "greens "  for  using  with 
cut  flowers  next  winter.  Small  pot  plants  of 
Asparagus  and  Smilax  started  now  will  make  fine 
sprays  by  next  autumn. 

Give  extra  feeding  to  Tomatoes,  Melons,  Cu- 
cumbers, and  other  things  which  may  have  been 
producing  for  some  time. 

Tree  fruits  will  also  require  special  care  in  the 
way  of  feeding  at  this  time. 

Thin  Grapes  as  soon  as  the  little  berries  are 
well  formed.     Don't  be  afraid  of  overdoing  it. 


176  Gardening  Under  Glass 

July 

Get  in  fresh  soil  and  make  everything  ready 
for  putting  in  the  Carnations.  This  may  be 
done  any  time  during  the  month  but  preferably 
when  several  rainy  or  cloudy  days  seem  likely. 
Spray  thoroughly  if  they  have  to  be  brought  in 
during  bright,  hot  weather. 

Chrysanthemums  will  be  making  excellent 
growth  now  and  should  be  fed  two  or  three  times 
a  week.  The  oldest  plants  should  be  in  eight- 
inch  pots.  Give  plenty  of  air  and  spray  very 
regularly  to  keep  down  the  insects.  Keep  up 
feeding  till  buds  show  color. 

Start  Callas  and  other  winter-flowering  Ijulbs. 

Sow  seeds  of  Pansy,  Clarkia,  and  other  things 
for  fall  and  mid-winter. 

Give  regular  attention  to  plants  outside. 
Pinch  back  and  get  into  shapely  form  Oleanders 
and  all  the  other  things  to  be  brought  in  for 
winter  flowering.  Be  sure  they  are  kept  clean 
from  all  insects  and  pests. 

Make  a  sowing  of  Lettuce  and  Tomatoes  for 
first  indoor  crops  in  fall. 

August 

None  too  early  to  begin  to  get  everything  in 
shape  for  fall.     There  are  likely  to  be  a  few  days 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         177 

and  nights  when  a  fire  will  be  needed — in  fact, 
whenever  much  cold,  damp  weather  comes,  an 
occasional  fire  to  keep  the  greenhouse  warm  and 
dried  out  will  be  a  benefit,  especially  in  warding 
off  mildew. 

Look  over  heating  apparatus  carefully  and 
overhaul  if  necessary. 

Be  sure  that  the  soil  pile  is  ample — in  connec- 
tion with  even  a  small  house  one  uses  a  lot  in  a 
year ! 

Start  regular  vegetables  and  flowers  for  winter 
in  quantities  required. 

Re-pot  Strawberries  so  as  to  get  fine,  big,  strong 
crowns  to  store  during  early  winter,  and  force 
later. 

Plant  Sweet-peas  the  latter  part  of  the  month 
for  growth  inside. 

September 

Start  in  frame  or  in  cool-house,  so  as  to  keep 
up  supply  of  Beans  and  Radish  from  seed,  and 
transplant  Lettuce,  Tomatoes,  and  Cauliflowers 
started  last  month.  Some  60  degrees  tempera- 
ture must  be  maintained  during  November  and 
December  to  grow  Tomatoes. 

Take  in  stock  plants  from  outside  before  dan- 
ger of  frost.  Snapdragons,  Geraniums,  Helio- 
trope, and  many  other  things,  cut  back  rather 


178  Gardening  Under  Glass 

severely,  and  put  in,  will  make  good  growth  and 
flower  again  profusely  later  on. 

Start  seeds  of  vSnapdragons,  Clarkia,  Stocks, 
and  any  other  things  wanted  which  are  not 
already  available. 

Procure  and  plant  for  growing  under  glass 
Gladiolus,  Oxalis,  Caladium,  Callas,  Begonias,  etc. 

Plant  in  flats  or  bulb  pans,  for  forcing  later  on, 
Tulips,  Hyacinths,  Narcissus,  Crocus,  etc.  These 
may  go  in  during  the  latter  part  of  this  month 
or  in  October.  Lilies  should  be  started  the  first 
part  of  this  month. 

October 

Continue  to  give  best  attention  to  Chrysan- 
themums. Fumigate  or  spray  thoroughly,  and 
give  plenty  of  fresh  air.  Maintain  even  tem- 
perature. 

Make  another  planting  of  any  of  your  favor- 
ite annual  or  perennial  flowers  not  already  well 
provided  for. 

Pot  up  cuttings  put  in  sand  last  month,  as 
soon  as  roots  have  formed.  Give  final  shift  to 
plants  grown  through  summer  for  winter  bloom. 
Use  plenty  of  bone  and  ashes  in  soil,  but  not  too 
much  nitrogen.  Make  successive  plantings  of 
vegetables. 

Any  shading  still  remaining  on  the  general- 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         179 

purpose  house  should  be  removed,  as  from  now 
on  all  the  sunlight  possible  will  be  wanted. 

Sudden  cold  nights  may  be  expected  now,  and 
of  course  keeping  the  fire  in  first-class  condition 
should  not  be  overlooked. 

Never  let  the  ashes  pile  up  to  the  grate.  Clean 
out  regularly.  Keep  flues  clean.  Do  not  wait 
till  the  sun  goes  down  at  night,  but  start  fires 
early  enough  to  get  the  pipes  hot  just  before  the 
sun  leaves  the  glass,  so  that  there  will  be  no 
sudden  drop  in  temperature. 

November 

Before  ground  freezes  take  up  roots  of  As- 
paragus, Rhubarb,  Chicory,  etc.,  wanted  for 
forcing. 

Keep  an  eye  on  bulbs  stored  outside,  or  in 
frames  or  pits,  and  protect  before  danger  of 
freezing.  Be  sure  not  to  put  where  mice  can 
get  at  the  bulbs. 

The  houses  will  have  to  be  kept  closed  more 
now,  and  the  appearance  of  all  insects  should  be 
watched  for  most  diligently.  Fumigate  regu- 
larly, so  as  to  keep  them  out.  Take  advantage 
of  every  bright  sunny  day  to  give  all  the  air 
possible,  while  maintaining  the  required  tempera- 
ture. The  more  air  the  plants  can  get  without 
danger  of  a  chill  the  better. 


180  Gardening  Lhider  Glass 

Days  are  short  and  growth  is  at  its  minimum 
(hu'ing  this  month  and  the  first  part  of  next. 
Water  carefully,  as  over-watering  now  may  mean 
that  soil  will  be  soggy  for  several  weeks,  with 
resulting  injury  to  plants.  Top-dress  vegetables 
and  flowering  plants  with  nitrate  of  soda  or  other 
nitrogenous  fertilizer,  as  the  nitrogen  in  the  soil 
does  not  become  available  so  rapidly  for' the 
plants'  use  during  this  period  of  short  days. 

December 

Bring  in  from  frames  or  cellar  early  bulbs  in 
flats  or  bulb  pans  to  be  forced.  The  early  varie- 
ties, like  Golden  Spur  Daffodil,  do  not  need  to  be 
frozen  before  forcing.  They  can  be  brought  into 
moderate  temperatures,  say  50  degrees,  after 
they  have  made  a  mass  of  roots.  Water  spar- 
ingly at  first,  and  more  generously  as  vigorous 
growth  begins.  They  can  be  started  under  a 
bench  or  in  a  shady  place,  but  should  receive  full 
light  as  soon  as  the  flower  buds  begin  to  show. 

Fumigate,  or  paint  the  heating  pipes  with  sul- 
phur as  a  preventative  against  mildew  which 
does  serious  damage  and  is  fostered  by  mid- 
winter conditions. 

Astilbe  japonica  makes  one  of  the  most  at- 
tractive plants  for  forcing.  Clumps  should  be 
potted  up  now  and  given  enough  heat  to  start 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         181 

growth  gradually  so  they  will  make  good  strong 
plants  for  flowering  later  on. 

It  is  not  too  late  to  put  in  a  last  planting  of 
Lilies  for  Easter  bloom.  Good  strong  bulbs  of 
formosum  potted  now  will  flower  in  time. 

Attend  to  winter  protection  of  coldframes  and 
hotbeds.  Frames  that  ought  to  be  kept  warm 
should  have  boards  placed  upright  and  held  in 
place  by  stout  stakes  about  six  inches  outside  of 
the  frame.  The  intervening  space  is  packed 
with  dry  manure.  Shutters,  or  reed  or  burlap 
mats  placed  over  the  glass  will  afford  a  good  deal 
of  extra  protection. 

Watering  should  be  done  sparingly  during 
the  short  mid-winter  days  so  as  to  avoid  getting 
the  soil  in  a  wet,  soggy  condition.  A  thorough 
spraying  of  the  foliage  in  place  of  watering  can 
be  used  to  advantage  under  these  conditions,  as 
it  will  keep  the  plants  fresh  and  vigorous  without 
the  danger  of  over- wetting  the  soil. 

Pot  up  as  soon  as  ready  cuttings  of  Carnations, 
or  other  flowers  which  have  been  made  during 
the  past  few  weeks.  One  of  the  commonest  mis- 
takes with  cutting  is  to  let  the  roots  get  too  long 
in  the  cutting  bed  before  they  are  potted  off. 
Be  on  the  watch  to  avoid  this. 

Start  into  growth  stock  plants  of  Chrysanthe- 
mums   held    over    after    the    fall    crop.     Keep 


182  Gardening  Under  Glass 

sprayed  with  Black  Leaf  40  to  prevent  the 
black  aphis  from  getting  a  start. 

Start  now  clumps  of  Rhubarb  or  Asparagus  for 
forcing.  These  may  be  grown  under  a  bench  or 
in  some  other  shady  place  as  well  as  in  the  light. 
The  clumps  that  have  had  several  weeks  freezing 
preparatory  to  being  brought  into  heat  give  the 
best  results. 

It  is  not  too  early  to  start  a  batch  of  cuttings 
for  spring  bedding  plants,  i)articularly  of  new 
or  scarce  things  of  which  it  is  desired  to  work 
up  a  stock  for  spring  planting.  They  will  root 
readily  during  this  month  if  not  given  too  much 
water. 

Start  into  active  growth  for  the  production  of 
material  for  cuttings  next  month  stock  plants 
of  Geraniums,  Heliotrope,  Fuclisias,  Ivies,  Dai- 
sies, and  other  things  which  will  be  wanted  in 
quantities  for  spring. 

Sow  seeds  of  Annual  Larkspur  for  early  spring 
blooming  under  glass.  This  is  one  of  the  pret- 
tiest of  all  flowers  for  cutting  inside  during  the 
spring  months. 

Make  another  planting  of  Gladiolus  bulbs  for 
bloom  inside.  Include  some  of  the  Primulinus 
Hybrids  which  are  particularly  desirable  for 
cuttings  for  table  decorations. 

Make  a  first  sowing  of  Pansies,  Daisies,  Forget- 


The  Year  in  the  Crystal  Garden         183 

me-nots,  and  other  spring  bedding  plants  for 
extra -early  use. 

Select  carefully  the  best  Chrysanthemums  to 
keep  for  stock.  The  plants  can  be  kept  under 
a  bench  or  out  of  the  way  to  start  into  growth 
the  latter  part  of  the  month,  or  the  first  of  next 
month,  to  get  material  for  cuttings  for  next  year's 
plants. 

Keep  soil  in  all  beds  well  loosened  up.  Oc- 
casionally loosen  the  soil  in  pots,  plant  boxes,  or 
large  pots.  The  forming  of  mould  or  moss  closes 
up  the  surface  so  that  air  cannot  readily  pene- 
trate to  the  plant  roots. 

Start  Tomatoes  and  Cucumbers  in  a  frame  or 
over  bottom  heat,  to  furnish  plants  for  setting 
out  next  month.  Set  where  a  sufficiently  high 
temperature  can  be  maintained  during  January 
and  February  to  grow  them. 

Watch  Carnations  and  other  plants  for  any 
kind  of  disease.  Immediately  remove  any  rusty 
or  spotted  leaves  and  burn. 

Do  not  be  in  too  much  of  a  hurry  to  force 
semi -dormant  plants  like  some  of  the  flowering 
shrubs  into  active  growth.  Give  them  a  chance 
to  finish  a  comfortable  rest  period. 


PART  II 
CULTIVATION  OF  SPECIAL  CROPS 


CHAPTER  XVII 

ALL   ABOUT    VIOLETS 

Procure  northern-grown  plants  as  early  as 
possible  in  spring.  They  may  be  had  out  of 
two-inch  or  two  and  a  quarter-inch  pots.  Pot 
up  in  slightly  larger  pots  than  those  in  which 
they  were  grown,  place  in  a  cool  greenhouse  or 
frost-proof  frame  on  sifted  ashes.  Keep  all  pots 
level  so  that  they  will  hold  water  when  needed. 
Keep  them  in  a  night  temperature  of  40  degrees. 

Violets  grow  best  in  a  sandy  loam. 

Ventilate  early  in  the  day,  and  a  little  at  a 
time,  increasing  as  the  temperature  increases. 
Maintain  a  temperature  of  55  degrees  by  day, 
and  if  in  a  frame,  the  sash  should  be  removed 
and  replaced  in  the  afternoon  as  soon  as  condi- 
tions make  it  necessary.  When  danger  of  frost 
is  past,  the  sash  had  better  be  kept  off  altogether. 

They  should  be  planted  in  the  field  about  the 
end  of  April  in  the  latitude  of  New  York.  Set 
the  plants  about  twelve  inches  in  the  row  and 
for  hand  cultivation  two  feet  between  the  rows. 
Cultivate  at  least  every  two  weeks  and  at  the 

187 


188  Gardening  Under  Glass 

same  time  go  over  the  rows  and  cut  off  all  runners 
within  two  inches  of  the  plants — the  object  be- 
ing to  secure  single-crown  plants. 

At  this  season — spring — get  the  soil  ready  for 
the  plants  for  frames  or  greenhouses.  Toj)  sod 
four  to  six  inches  thick  is  best  for  this  purpose 
with  one  third  cow  manure  added  in  alternate 
layers  on  a  heap. 

Break  up  this  sod  pile  in  August  and  add  one 
and  a  half  pounds  of  pure  ground  bone  to  each 
bushel  of  soil.  Do  not  break  up  the  soil  too  fine 
as  the  rough  pieces  may  be  placed  in  the  bed 
where  the  plants  are  to  grow,  at  the  bottom. 
This  should  be  six  inches  in  depth.  Level  off 
the  bed  and  mark  it  off  in  lines  eight  by  ten 
inches. 

If  the  plants  are  to  be  grown  in  frames  give  the 
matter  of  drainage  proper  attention.  If  the  sub- 
soil is  of  a  sandy  nature,  nothing  need  be  done 
but  place  the  soil  on  it,  as  alreadj^  mentioned, 
otherwise  use  cinders  which  have  been  exposed 
to  the  elements  for  some  time,  as  fresh  cinders 
contain  too  much  sulphur.  If  to  be  grown  in 
frames  select,  if  possible,  a  southeasterly  aspect, 
where  also  they  may  have  some  protection  from 
northerly  winds. 

In  lifting  the  plants,  try  and  have  it  done  in 
the  morning  if  the  weather  should  be  clear  and 


All  About  Violets  189 

warm,  and  plant  as  soon  as  possible.     Protect 

plants  from  sun  and  winds,  as  they  may  wilt. 

It  is  well,  before  placing  the  plants  in  the  beds, 

to  shade  the  glass  with  whiting  or  clay.     If  in 


Among  the  hundred  and  one  things  you  can  grow  in  coldframes,  Violets 
are  not  the  least.  Blooms  you  can  have  for  months  and  months  from  fall 
till  spring. 

frames,  use  lath  shades,  as  they  may  be  removed 
every  afternoon  as  soon  as  the  sun  is  off  the 
plants.  This  will  start  them  quicker.  They 
should  be  left  on  for  about  ten  days  or  until  such 
time  as  the  plants  are  in  good  growth.  Begin 
by  leaving  the  shades  off  a  little  longer  each 
day  after  the  first  two  weeks.     For  example, 


190  Gardening  Under  Glass 

place  shades  on  the  sash  at  9  a.  m.  and  remove 
at  4  p.  M.  Next  day,  one  half  hour  later  in  the 
morning  and  remove  one  half  hour  earlier  in  the 
afternoon. 

After  planting,  leave  two  inches  of  air  on  sash 
for  a  day  or  two  and  gradually  increase  each  day 
as  the  plants  show  signs  of  active  growth. 
Syringe  them  mornings  and  earl}^  afternoons  for 
about  two  weeks,  after  which  once  each  clear 
day  early  in  the  morning. 

As  soon  as  plants  are  planted,  water  thor- 
oughl}^  They  may  not  require  more  water  for 
about  five  days,  depending  on  whether  the  soil 
is  of  a  sandy  nature  or  of  a  clay  nature.  In 
making  lath  shades  for  this  purpose,  nail  ordi- 
nary builders'  lath  on  two  two-inch  strips  one 
inch  apart.  It  is  best  to  do  this  on  the  edge  of 
the  strips  for  two  reasons:  first,  they  hold  to- 
gether better,  and  second,  they  allow  more  air 
space  between  them  and  the  sash,  thereby  keep- 
ing the  plants  just  so  much  cooler.  These  shades 
may  be  four  feet  wide  and  six  feet  long. 

Planting  in  eastern  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
may  be  done  about  the  end  of  August. 

Cultivate  the  beds  about  every  two  weeks 
and  not  over  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  depth,  as 
most  of  the  feeding  roots  are  near  the  surface. 
Keep  all  runners  off,  also  all  flower  buds,  the 


All  About  Violets  191 

latter  till  the  first  week  in  October  or  a  little 
later,  depending  on  circumstances.  The  object 
of  this  is  to  encourage  root  action,  so  that  the 
plants  will  go  into  winter  in  good  growth. 

As  winter  approaches,  syringing  may  be  done 
two  or  three  times  a  week  according  to  weather 
conditions. 

Maintain  a  night  temperature  of  42  to  45  de- 
grees and  55  degrees  in  clear  weather  by  day. 
Should  the  foliage  be  wet  in  the  evening  after 
syringing,  leave  some  air  on  the  frame  or  green- 
house and  turn  on  a  little  heat.  This  should  be 
done  irrespective  of  weather  conditions  at  the 
time,  as  otherwise  they  may  get  what  is  com- 
monly called  leaf  spots,  or  blisters. 

In  watering  the  plants,  always  do  it  in  the 
morning  and  be  sure  the  soil  is  wet  through  to 
the  bottom  of  the  roots.  Before  watering  the 
plants,  examine  the  soil  under  the  surface.  If 
it  should  hold  together  when  squeezed  in  the 
hand,  there  is  sufficient  moisture.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  may  be  spots  where  the  bed  will 
dry  out  more  quickly,  in  which  case  water  where 
necessary.  To  water  them  properly,  go  over  the 
beds  twice,  as  otherwise  the  best  elements  of  the 
soil  will  be  washed  out,  so  that  a  little  patience  is 
time  well  spent. 

Toward   the  end  of  January  the  plants  may 


192  Gardening  Under  Glass 

require  a  stimulant.  A  light  application  of  pul- 
verized sheep  manure  between  the  plants  will  be 
of  much  benefit.  Avoid  chemical  fertilizers  at 
this  season  of  the  year,  as  they  are  too  quick  in 
their  action,  and  since  full  ventilation  cannot  be 
given  the  plants  may  be  destroyed. 

A  word  on  fertilizers  may  be  in  order,  in  that 
it  is  always  good  policy  to  get  the  bulletins  issued 
by  the  State  Experiment  Stations,  showing  the 
analysis  of  the  different  brands.  One  can  feel 
safe  in  accepting  these  reports.  Of  course  those 
with  experience  know  which  are  the  most  relia- 
ble, but  it  is  good  practice  to  have  the  bulletins 
in  any  case,  as  they  are  issued  to  any  one  who 
applies  for  copies. 

Should  the  soil  at  any  time  show  a  tendency 
to  become  green,  a  slight  dressing  of  slacked  lime 
may  be  given,  thus  correcting  the  acidity  of  the 
soil,  also  making  the  bacteria  more  active.  Lime 
must  never  be  considered  as  a  fertilizer.  Its 
use  on  soil  is  for  the  purpose  above  described. 

The  best  guide  in  determining  when  to  stimu- 
late the  plants  is  one's  own  olxservation  that  the 
flowers  show  signs  of  not  being  up  to  standard. 
Be  cautious  about  appl3'ing  stimulants  to  Violets 
as  they  are  not  gross  feeders  like  Roses. 

Enemies  are:  red  spider  and  green  fly.  The 
presence  of  the  former  may  be  known  by  the 


All  About  Violets  193 

appearance  of  the  leaves,  in  that  they  become 
white,  as  a  result  of  the  tissues  being  destroyed. 
They  are  in  appearance  and  size  similar  to  unripe 
red  peppers.  Remedy :  they  may  easily  be  kept  in 
control  by  syringing  properly  with  cold  water 
applied  to  the  under  side  of  the  leaves,  using  a 
fine  nozzle  with  a  pressure  of  at  least  thirty 
pounds.  Green  fly  may  be  kept  in  control  by 
fumigating  with  either  nico-fume  paper  or  vapor- 
izing in  the  liquid  form.  All  open  flowers  should 
be  picked  off  before  fumigating.  This  operation 
should  always  be  done  at  night,  whereas  the 
syringing  should  be  done  in  the  morning  of  a 
bright  day  as  far  as  possible.  The  best  remedy 
for  green  fly  is  cyanide  of  potassium  used  in 
conjunction  with  sulphuric  acid,  but  this  is  an 
extremely  dangerous  vapor  in  inexperienced 
hands. 

Violets  may  be  grown  successfully  in  southern 
New  England,  eastern  New  York,  and  New 
Jersey,  without  artificial  heat,  by  using  a  double 
frame  and  also  double-glazed  sash,  with  mats  of 
straw  or  other  material  with  board  shutters  to 
keep  the  latter  dry. 

Build  a  frame  in  the  usual  way  in  a  unit  of  one, 
two,  or  more  sash  as  needed.  Have  the  back  of 
the  frame  about  twenty  inches  high  and  the 
front  twelve  inches  in  height.     Next,  get  two-by- 


194  Gardening  Under  Glass 

four-inch  material  and  nail  on  edge  from  top  to 
bottom  on  the  inside,  spaced  about  four  feet 
apart,  after  which  line  the  inside  with  roofing 
or  other  matched  boards.  Thus,  a  space  four 
inches  will  be  formed  all  around  the  frame  which 
should  be  filled  with  dry  leaves.  By  this  method 
flowers  may  be  had  all  winter. 

Heating 

In  placing  heating  pipes  in  a  violet  frame,  the 
return  pipes  should  be  placed  at  the  front  of  the 
bed  with  a  board  stood  on  edge  between  the 
pipes  and  plants  to  act  as  a  shield,  as  the  heat 
coming  in  direct  contact  with  the  plants  would 
cause  red  spider.  As  far  as  possible,  hot  water 
should  be  used  for  heating. 

Short  stems  are  the  result  of  either  keeping  the 
plants  too  warm  or  too  dry  at  the  roots. 

At  all  times,  after  the  plants  are  planted  and 
in  good  growth,  keep  the  atmosphere  buoyant,  as 
Violets  are  cool-loving  plants,  and  a  humid  at- 
mosphere invites  disease  and  consequent  dis- 
appointment. This  is  one  of  the  most  important 
parts  of  success  in  violet  growing. 

Varieties:  Single — California  and  Prince  of 
Wales;  Double — Lady  Hume  Campbell  and 
Marie  Louise. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

ALL   ABOUT    PINEAPPLES 

Pineapples  probably  are  more  improved  by 
growing  under  glass  than  any  other  fruit.  But 
unfortunately  they  take  a  longer  season  to  ma- 
ture their  fruit — therefore  are  more  of  a  luxury. 
Still,  for  a  private  establishment,  they  are  to  be 
highly  recommended. 

The  first  thing  to  be  considered  is  a  house 
adapted  for  the  successful  culture  of  this  crop, 
as  a  great  deal  depends  on  success  or  failure  in 
this  respect. 

The  house  best  suited  for  growing  Pineapples 
is  a  comparatively  small,  low  structure,  as  they 
at  all  times  require  a  fairly  high  temperature  and 
also  bottom  heat.  There  should  be  enough  pipes 
under  the  bed,  laid  in  a  hollow  channel,  to  keep 
the  temperature  of  the  bed  a  trifle  higher  than 
the  general  atmosphere  of  the  house.  This  in 
particular  refers  to  the  dark  days  of  winter. 
If  the  roots  were  subjected  to  a  lower  tempera- 
ture than  the  top,  the  chances  are  the  roots  would 
decay  and  poor  results  would  follow. 

Pineapples   are   of  easy  propagation.     There 

195 


196  Gardening  Under  Glass 

are  different  methods  of  increasing  stock — 
especially  if  certain  varieties  are  scarce — such 
as  cuttings  of  the  stem  (for  instance)  after  the 
fruit  is  gathered.  Pull  up  the  plant  and  strip 
all  the  foliage  oft'  the  stem  or  stems.  Lay  into 
a  flat  half  covered  with  leaf  mould  or  any  open 
material  and  place  in  the  propagating  house  where 
there  is  a  liberal  amount  of  bottom  heat.  The 
dormant  eyes  will  soon  start  up  and  nice  plants 
can  be  had  in  this  manner.  Good  plants  may 
also  be  propagated  from  crowns  taken  from  the 
ripe  fruit.  (Allow  the  crowns  to  dry  out  for  a 
few  days  before  rooting  them.)  These  two 
methods  refer  to  cases  of  scarce  varieties  onlj' 
and  when  you  want  to  make  the  most  of  stock, 
for  strong,  vigorous  stock  suckers  that  come  away 
from  the  base  of  the  plants  afford  the  best  means 
of  propagation — they  make  a  more  vigorous  and 
quick-growing  plant.  It  is  well,  however,  to 
leave  the  suckers  until  they  are  good  and  strong 
before  they  are  pulled  from  the  parent  plant. 
They  may  then  be  potted  into  pots  according 
to  size — which  for  good  strong  plants  should  be 
anywhere  from  four-inch  to  five-  or  six-inch  pots 
for  extra-strong  plants. 

Soil  for  Pineapples  must  be  of  an  open  nature 
as  anything  stagnant  around  the  roots  must  be 
avoided.     Take  a  sod  land  with  a  fair  amount 


All  About  Pineapples  197 

of  sand  so  that  the  roots  can  run  readily  through 
it,  and  if  the  soil  is  on  the  heavy  side  add  more 
sand,  or  still  better,  sand  and  charcoal.  Soil 
for  Pineapples  should  be  prepared  a  few  months 
in  advance,  and  for  every  four  loads  of  soil  add 
one  load  of  farmyard  manure.  When  ready  for 
use  a  sprinkling  of  blood  and  bone,  say  at  the 
rate  of  100  of  soil  to  one  of  blood  and  bone — 
such  a  compost  Pineapples  should  thrive  in. 

There  are  different  ways  of  growing  this  m- 
teresting  fruit.  They  may  be  grown  in  pots: 
keep  re-potting  until  they  are  in  eleven-  or  twelve- 
inch  pots,  which  is  large  enough  to  fruit  them  in. 
Years  ago  most  of  the  Pineapples  grown  under 
glass  were  wholly  under  the  pot  system.  How- 
ever, even  if  grown  in  pots,  if  bottom  heat  can 
be  had,  the  plants  will  make  a  more  rapid 
growth,  especially  if  the  pots  are  plunged  into 
some  open  material — tan  bark,  for  instance, 
would  be  ideal. 

Another  mode  of  growing  them  is  to  set  the 
plants  in  solid  beds,  which  is  to  be  highly 
recommended.  The  plants  make  rapid  growth 
under  this  culture — say  about  one  foot  of 
drainage  over  the  hot-water  pipes,  then  fifteen 
inches  of  soil,  setting  the  plants  about  twenty 
inches  apart.  Then  the  plants  may  be  replaced 
with  young  ones  after  every  crop,  or  the  strong 


198  Gardening  Under  Glass 

suckers  may  be  allowed  to  come  on  again,  which 
will  mature  a  crop  much  quicker  than  replanting, 
although  I  do  not  think  it  advisable  to  leave 
them  in  longer  than  two  or  three  crops,  as  the 
soil  they  are  planted  in  will  by  that  time  need 
renewing. 

In  planting  young  plants,  or  what  I  shall  term 
rooted  suckers,  if  everything  goes  well  ripe  fruit 
may  be  looked  for  in,  say,  twelve  or  fourteen 
months;  whereas  in  the  following  crop,  providing 
the  plants  are  in  a  healthy  condition  and  not 
disturbed  more  than  cutting  the  old  plants  away, 
allowing  the  suckers  to  grow,  ripe  fruit  from 
these  established  suckers  may  be  had  in  nine  or 
ten  months,  say  with  a  temperature  at  night  of 
70  degrees,  80  day  or  85  degrees  with  sun  heat. 

Pineapples  require  a  fairly  light  house,  al- 
though from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  end  of 
September  a  light  shade  on  the  glass,  just 
enough  to  break  the  hot  sun  rays,  is  all  that  is 
necessary,  and  for  this  purpose  there  is  nothing 
better  than  naphtha  and  white  lead. 

The  varieties  of  Pineapples  are  numerous, 
but  many  of  those  formerly  included  for  forcing- 
purposes  are  now  seldom  grown,  the  well-as- 
certained good  qualities  of  a  few  leading  kinds 
having  gradually  led  to  the  discarding  of  in- 
ferior sorts.     While  the  few  approved  varieties 


All  About  Pineapples  199 

will  be  found  sufficient  for  all  practical  purposes, 
there  can  be  nothing  gained  by  growing  an  ex- 
tended list.  Smooth-leaf  Cayenne  is  excellent 
for  greenhouse  work,  always  makes  a  nice 
clean  growth,  and  has  stood  the  test  many  years; 
when  well-grown  the  fruits  will  average  anywhere 
from  7  to  10  lbs.  Enville,  Lady  Beatrix, 
Lambton,  Charlotte  Rothschild,  and  Queen  will 
make  a  select  list  for  forcing  purposes. 

Water  and  moisture  need  consideration.  While 
Pineapples  donot  require  nearly  so  much  water 
at  the  roots  as  some  other  fruits,  it  is  a  mistake 
to  allow  them  to  suffer  for  want  of  water.  If 
during  the  short  days  of  winter  they  were  kept 
continually  wet  at  the  roots,  the  roots  would 
certainly  decay.  Years  ago  moisture  was  very 
sparingly  given  for  fear  of  their  damping-off. 
However,  by  keeping  up  the  required  tempera- 
ture in  the  house,  also  bottom  heat,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  dry  them  off  during  the  winter 
months,  but  rather  a  disadvantage,  but  it  has  a 
tendency  to  weaken  the  plants  and  is  also  a  loss 
of  time,  as  with  proper  treatment  the  pines  will 
grow  considerably.  Of  course  they  will  not 
make  as  rapid  growth  in  winter  as  they  will 
during  the  summer. 

In  speaking  of  moisture  and  watering,  also 
feeding,  it  is  a  difficult  problem  to  explain — as  so 


200  Gardening  Under  Glass 

much  depends  on  the  condition  of  stock.  If  in  a 
healthy  growing  state  they  will  take  more 
moisture  at  the  roots.  But  one  thing  should  be 
borne  in  mind:  whenever  the  bed  is  watered, 
whether  in  summer  or  winter,  give  it  a  thor- 
ough watering,  then  no  more  until  absolutely 
necessary.  This,  in  my  opinion,  is  one  of  the 
secrets  of  success  for  all  plant  culture.  It 
would  be  an  advantage  through  the  winter  to 
water  and  spray  with  warm  water,  having  the 
water  of  the  same  temperature  as  that  of  the 
house.  Keep  the  atmosphere  fairly  well  charged 
with  moisture  at  all  times  and  syringe  the  plants 
on  bright  days — but  avoid  syringing  when  the 
fruit  is  in  bloom.  After  the  Pineapples  are 
thoroughly  established  feeding  will  be  in  order, 
particularly  after  the  fruit  is  set  and  swelling 
away.  I  have  found  Clay's  Fertilizer  excellent 
for  them,  say  a  handful  to  a  three-gallon  canful 
of  water,  mixed  with  the  water,  using  enough 
water  to  give  the  bed  a  fair  soaking.  Manure 
water  is  also  good^cow  manure  preferred.  Still 
this  all  applies  to  healthy,  vigorous  stock.  The 
aim  should  be  to  produce  good  strong  plants. 
Then  naturally  one  may  expect  fine  fruit,  which 
cannot  be  obtained  from  weak,  puny  plants. 

Good  judgment  as  regards  airing  should  be 
used.     When  the  thermometer  falls  below  80 


All  About  Pineapples  201 

degrees,  for  instance,  a  crack  of  air  may  be 
admitted  providing  the  temperature  is  in  such  a 
condition  outside  as  to  raise  the  temperature 
inside  to,  say,  85  degrees.  Do  not  admit  air  at 
all  if  it  is  going  to  lower  the  atmosphere  as  soon 
as  put  on. 

Insects 

Pineapples  are  sensitive  to  insects,  although, 
fortunately,  there  are  not  many  insects  to 
bother  them.  Scale  and  mealy  bug  are  two  of 
the  worst  enemies.  Both  are  very  injurious 
if  they  are  allowed  headway,  and  are  difficult  to 
eradicate.  The  best  method  is  to  keep  close 
watch  and  upon  the  appearance  of  any  traces  of 
insects  of  any  kind,  to  apply  methods  to  eradicate 
before  they  gain  headway.  Where  mealy  bug 
has  already  made  headway,  use  a  force  pump  and 
fairly  hot  water.  Pineapples  will  stand  water  at 
100  degrees,  but  it  is  uncomfortable  for  the  bug. 
It  is  out  of  the  question  to  clean  out  bugs  by  spong- 
ing. As  already  stated,  by  applying  the  remedy 
when  first  noticed  it  is  easy  to  keep  them  down. 

Pineapples  can  be  grown  successfully  by 
following  along  these  lines,  and  there  is  no 
comparison  between  the  pines  grown  in  the 
greenhouse  and  the  Southern  production.  The 
greenhouse  pines  can  be  eaten  readily  with  a 
spoon,  and  have  a  much  richer  flavor. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

PALMS 

LiNNEUs,  the  great  botanist,  aptly  described 
Palms  as  the  "Princes  of  the  Vegetable  King- 
dom." Their  stately  habit,  the  splendid  prop- 
erties of  the  stems,  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the 
leaves,  and  their  great  variety  mark  them  as  one 
of  the  most  valuable  and  distinguished  groups  of 
plants. 

They  are  chiefly  natives  of  tropical  countries, 
extending  to  30  degrees  N.  latitude  in  America, 
34  degrees  N.  latitude  in  Asia,  and  in  Europe, 
the  one  indigenous  variety,  Chamaerops  humilis, 
extends  to  44  degrees  N^.  latitude.  No  species 
are  found  beyond  38  degrees  S.  latitude. 

In  the  United  States,  while  a  number  of  species 
are  to  be  found  growing  outdoors  in  Elorida, 
California,  and  other  more  or  less  frost-free 
states,  their  culture  is  usually  under  glass,  and 
Palm  culture  is  now  a  very  important  branch  of 
commercial  horticulture,  the  number  sold  of  the 
more  popular  decorative  varieties  totalling  many 
thousands  per  annum. 

202 


Palms  203 

On  private  estates  also  the  Palm  house  has 
grown  to  be  almost  a  necessity.  It  is  generally 
the  most  impressive  glass  structure  in  the  range 
and  is  full  of  interest  the  year  through. 

Palms  are  nearly  all  of  comparatively  easy 
culture;  arranged  tastefully  in  a  special  house 
they  always  receive  the  attention  of  visitors,  and 
are  unequalled  for  house  decorative  effects  at  all 
seasons,  many  also  being  valuable  on  piazzas 
and  lawns  for  tropical  summer  effects. 

While  it  is  possible  to  grow  Palms  in  an  ordi- 
nary greenhouse  with  a  miscellaneous  lot  of 
plants,  to  do  them  justice  they  should  be  allotted 
a  special  house,  the  size  and  character  of  which 
must  depend  on  circumstances. 

For  many,  a  simple  span-roofed  division, 
preferably  with  curved  glass,  will  answer  ad- 
mirably. If  something  more  imposing  is  de- 
sired, a  house  of  any  desired  length,  width,  and 
height  can  be  arranged  for,  and  a  central  dome 
will  add  to  its  appearance. 

It  is  surprising  that  more  Palm  houses  are  not 
built  near  the  dwelling  house  so  that  they  can 
be  reached  by  a  glass  corridor,  and  utilized  for 
pleasant  promenades  or  similar  purposes  when 
occasion  requires.  It  is  a  simple  matter  to 
wire  the  house  or  houses  for  electric  light.  The 
floors  can  be  constructed  of  fancy  tiling  if  de- 


204  Gardening  Under  Glass 

sired  in  preference  to  concrete,  and  seats  of  a 
more  or  less  rustic  nature  can  be  located  in 
pleasant  nooks.  With  the  connecting  corridor 
arranged  on  each  side  with  seasonable  flowering 
plants,  and  the  roof  covered  with  attractive 
climbers,  the  approach  can  be  made  a  very  de- 
lightful one. 

It  is  always  possible  to  hire  or  purchase 
Palms  from  the  local  florist.  Generally  those 
handled  commercially^  are  limited  to  a  very 
small  number  of  varieties,  and  in  even  a  small 
private  palm  house  there  can  be  grown  to  splen- 
did perfection  a  varied,  interesting,  and  at- 
tractive collection.  From  such  a  house  it  is 
possible  to  select  plants  for  decorative  use  in 
the  house  on  special  occasions,  which  will  excite 
the  curiosity  and  admiration  of  visitors,  the  same 
being  a  pleasant  relief  from  the  commonplace 
sort  usually  seen. 

Palms  are  invaluable  for  house  decoration, 
for  the  plants  will  stand  so  long  in  good  condi- 
tion, even  under  the  most  drying  and  trying 
conditions,  individually  in  vases,  in  groups  on 
stairway  landings,  in  hallways,  or  in  small 
sizes  for  table  centrepieces.  In  window  boxes 
they  are  all  but  indispensable. 

While  some  species  do  not  succeed  outdoors 
in  our  Northern  states,  there  are  others,  such  as 


Palms  205 

Phoenix,  Lantana,  Kentia,  Rhapis,  and  Corypha, 
which  can  be  used  in  groups  on  piazzas,  for  the 
centre  of  vases,  and  even  for  tropical  effects  on 
the  lawn,  or  in  beds  of  foliage  plants. 

The  Phoenix  are  well  adapted  for  very  sunny 
locations,  while  the  Kentias  and  Lantanas  keep 
a  darker  green  in  partial  shade. 

Cultural  requirements  of  Palms,  in  order  to 
keep  them  in  good  condition,  do  not  call  for  any 
unusual  skill.  All  varieties  want  an  abundant 
supply  of  water  in  the  warm  growing  season, 
and  the  soil  should  not  at  any  time  approach 
dryness  or  the  leaves  will  show  the  effects  of  it, 
becoming  brown  at  the  ends. 

Good  drainage  is  also  a  prime  necessity;  for 
this  purpose  pieces  of  broken  pots,  coarse  coal 
ashes,  and  charcoal  are  all  useful.  Whatever 
drainage  is  used,  it  should  be  covered  with  a 
layer  of  sphagnum  or  wood  moss  before  any  of 
the  coarse  compost  is  placed  in  the  pots  or  tubs. 

Good  fibrous  loam  cut  from  an  upland  pasture, 
and  stacked  for  a  year,  is  suitable  for  the  culture 
of  all  Palms  if  to  it  is  added  a  good  proportion 
of  sharp  sand  and  broken  charcoal.  A  little  leaf 
mould  may  be  used  advantageously  for  young 
Palms,  but  the  older  Palms  prefer  a  stronger 
and  heavier  soil. 

When  the  plants  are  in  large  boxes,  tubs,  or 


206  Gardening  Under  Glass 

pots,  in  which  they  must  remain  for  some  years, 
it  is  a  good  plan  to  add  a  five-inch  pot  of  quarter- 
inch  bone  to  each  wheelbarrow  load  of  soil. 
Manure  water  each  week  in  summer  will  assist 
all  plants  which  have  their  pots  full  of  roots  and 
need  some  feeding.  Soot  water  is  also  an  ex- 
cellent food  and  is  especially  good  for  keeping 
the  leaves  a  dark  green  color. 

Sometimes  worms  are  troublesome  in  the  soil. 
To  get  rid  of  them,  take  a  piece  of  stone  lime, 
slack  in  a  pail  or  tub  of  water,  and  give  the 
plants  the  clear  liquid.  This  will  cause  the 
worms  to  make  a  hasty  exit.  Some  scattered 
on  the  surface  soil  and  washed  in  will  effect  the 
same  result,  but  gives  the  surface  a  very  limy 
appearance. 

To  keep  Palms  clear  of  insect  pests,  the  hose 
should  be  freely  used:  in  winter  once  a  day,  and 
in  summer,  twice  a  day.  It  should  be  directed 
with  strong  force  on  the  leaves,  to  keep  such 
pests  as  scale,  mealy  l)ug,  and  red  spider  in 
check.  A  spray  nozzle,  screwed  on  the  end  of 
the  hose  to  produce  a  fine  misty  spray,  if  used 
once  a  week  will  be  found  an  excellent  help 
toward  keeping  the  Palms  clean.  If  spraying  is 
properly  done,  there  should  be  little  need  of 
fumigation. 

A  convenient  and  cleanly  fumigant  is  nico- 


Palms  207 

fume,  which  comes  in  the  form  of  papers;  this 
does  not  leave  a  disagreeable,  smoky  odor  in 
the  house  for  several  days,  as  when  tobacco 
stems  are  used. 

Ground  glass  should  always  be  used  in  Palm 
houses,  and  will  prove  sufficient  shade  for  the 
plants  in  the  dark  winter  months;  the  glass  out- 
side will  require  a  coat  of  shading  the  middle  or 
end  of  March.  This  can  be  made  from  kerosene 
and  white  lead.  This  will  wash  off  in  the  fall. 
On  no  account  use  linseed  oil  unless  you  want 
to  spend  a  lot  of  time  cleaning  the  glass  in 
October  or  November  when  more  light  is  wanted. 
By  adding  a  little  green  color,  a  pretty  green 
shading  (which  is  preferred  by  some)  may  be  had. 
In  potting  Palms,  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
break  or  in  any  way  damage  the  roots.  The 
soil  requires  to  be  well  firmed,  and  a  good  space 
for  water  should  be  left  on  the  surface. 

It  is  always  better  to  avoid  using  decayed 
animal  manure  or  chemical  fertilizer  in  the  soil. 
Each  is,  however,  useful  applied  in  liquid  form 
or  as  top  dressings. 

To  keep  foliage  clean,  spraying  at  intervals 
is  necessary;  this  is  more  especially  needed 
when  the  plants  are  used  for  house  decorations 
and  catch  quantities  of  floating  dust. 

In  cases  where  Palms  get  very  large,  too  big  in 


:^08  Gardening  Under  Glass 

fact  for  tub  culture,  it  is  often  possible  to  plant 
them  out  in  a  prepared  border  in  the  central 
part  of  the  house.  The  plants  make  luxurious 
growth  treated  thus. 

A  few  conditions  which  are  conducive  to  suc- 
cessful Palm  culture  are:  ample  drainage,  firm 
potting,  abundant  watering,  persistent  spraying, 
especially  in  summer,  and  shade  from  the  direct 
sun's  rays.  A  night  temperature  of  from  55  to 
60  degrees  in  winter  will  grow  nearly  all  Palms 
well.  A  few  tropical  sorts  prefer  it  five  degrees 
warmer,  and  should  have  the  warm  end  of  the 
house.  If  60  degrees  at  night  in  zero  weather 
can  be  maintained,  nearly  all  Palms  will  do  well 
under  such  conditions.  When  much  fire  heat 
is  used,  it  is  very  necessary  to  sprinkle  plenty 
of  moisture  on  the  floors  to  counteract  the 
aridity  which  would  speedily  cause  pests  like 
red  spider  to  spread. 

Out  of  the  1,500  or  more  named  varieties  of 
Palms,  a  comparatively  limited  number  are 
grown  under  glass,  except  in  Botanic  Gardens, 
where  immense  houses  can  be  devoted  to  them. 

Some  of  the  most  useful  for  private  collections 
are  the  following: 

Kentia  Belmoreana,  useful  in  all  sizes,  probably 
the  most  popular  Palm  in  America  and  one 
of  the  very  best  house  plants. 


Palms  209 

Kentia  Forsteriana,  similar  to  the  foregoing, 
also  very  useful. 

Kentia  Sanderiana,  a  graceful  Palm  of  elegant 
habit,  leaves  arching,  narrow. 

Kentia  MacArthuri,  an  excellent  tall,  graceful 
variety.     Succeeds  well  in  a  cool  house. 

Kentia  Wendlandiana,  of  robust  habit,  ends 
like  the  Fish  Tail  Palm. 

Areca  lutescens,  a  beautiful,  graceful  variety, 
stems,  golden  in  color,  much  used  for  deco- 
rations, more  tender  than  the  Kentias. 

Areca  Verschaffeltii,  very  handsome. 

Pinanga  Kahlii,  a  quick  grower,  bold,  light 
green  foliage. 

Lantania  horhonica  (Fan  Palm),  one  of  the  best 
known  varieties,  requires  a  lot  of  room 
when  grown  to  specimen  size.  Excellent 
for  large  vases  and  for  lawn  ornamenta- 
tion. 

Rhapis  flabelliformis,  stands  more  rough  treat- 
ment than  any  other  Palm.  Excellent  for 
use  in  halls  and  corridors. 

Phoenix  Roehelenii,  one  of  the  most  graceful 
Palms  in  culture  in  small  sizes,  very  fine  for 
table  decoration.  The  airiness  of  this  plant 
is  one  of  its  greatest  charms. 

Cocos  Weddelliana,  the  Palm  par  excellence  for 
centrepieces.     Very  light  and  graceful.     In 


210  Gardening  Under  Glass 

greater   demand    than    any   other   variety. 
A  rather  slow  grower.     Very  handsome. 
Cycas  revoluta,  the  well-known  Sago  Palm,  of 
very  easy  culture.      Can   be  started  from 
dry  stems.     Very  good  for  large  vases  in 
dwelling  house. 
Phoemcophorium    sechellarum,   makes   a   very 
beautiful  specimen  for  the  centre  of  a  house. 
Requires  warm  treatment. 
Seaforthia  elegans,  a  very  easily  grown  decora- 
tive variety. 
Thrinax  elegant issima,  distinctive  and  hand- 
some. 
Varieties  previously  named  are  all  moderate 
and  well  adapted  for  culture  under  glass.     The 
list  might  be  extended  at  great  length. 

For  any  one  desiring  to  add  a  few  more  easily 
grown  kinds,  the  following  can  be  recommended : 
Chamaerops  h  u  m  His  Cocos  flexuosa 

Geonema  imperialis  Ureca  sapida 

Caryota  majestica 
Tropical  climbers  can,  of  course,  be  ad- 
vantageously utilized  on  the  roofs  of  Palm 
houses.  They  should  not  be,  however,  allowed 
to  grow  so  thickly  as  to  shut  out  light  from  the 
Palms;  these  can  be  grown  in  pots  or  tubs,  or 
prepared  borders  below  the  side  benches. 


CHAPTER  XX 

RIPE    GRAPES    FROM    MAY    TO    NEW    YEAR's 

Probably  the  Grape  is  one  of  the  oldest  fruits 
on  record.     We  read  of  Grapevines  reaching  the 


Say  what  you  will,  there  are  no  Grapes 
comparable  to  the  greenhouse  grown  ones. 
Meaty,  succulent,  and  huge  are  the  bunches. 


age  of  500  years.  The  celebrated  vine  at 
Hampton  Court,  England,  planted  somewhere 
about  150  years  ago,  covers  a  space  of  over  200 
square  yards,  and  is  to-day  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation,  carrying  heavy  crops  annually. 
The  Grapevine  is  of  easy  propagation.  Various 
methods  may  be  adopted,  such  as  layers,  cuttings, 

211 


212  Gardejiing  Under  Glass 

inarching,  grafting,  and  by  eyes — the  last  named 
being  the  best.  Insert  single  eyes,  selected 
from  well-ripened  wood,  into  three-inch  pots. 
Leave  two  inches  of  the  wood  with  the  eye;  a 
few  pieces  of  sod  in  the  bottom  of  pots,  sharp 
sand  on  top.  When  the  eyes  start  rooting  they 
will  strike  into  the  sod.  They  will  root  readily 
plunged  into  bottom  heat,  say  of  a  temperature  of 
70  to  75  degrees.  In  the  bed  a  slightly  less 
temperature  in  the  house  is  an  advantage.  Keep 
the  pots  moist,  but  avoid  over-watering.  From 
the  middle  to  the  end  of  January  is  a  good  time 
for  the  work.  This  will  allow  a  good  long 
season  for  growing  the  canes. 

One-year  canes  are  to  be  recommended  for 
planting  in  the  border  for  fruiting.  One  of  the 
fundamentals  in  grape  growing  as  regards  suc- 
cess or  failure  is  the  borders.  Grapevines  are 
moisture-loving  but  there  must  be  perfect 
drainage  or  everything  will  go  wrong,  in  spite  of 
all  the  good  care  they  may  receive.  In  a  water- 
logged border  there  will  be  trouble  from  begin- 
ning to  end :  vines  making  a  poor  growth ;  badly 
finished  fruits;  unripened  wood  in  the  fall. 

The  question  has  often  been  asked.  Which  is 
to  be  preferred,  inside  borders  only  or  both  in- 
side and  out?  Good  Grapes  are  grown  under 
either  system,  but  the  tendency  is  in  favor  of 


Grapes  from  May  to  Neio  Years        213 

confining  the  roots  wholly  inside.  Certainly 
for  early  forcing  inside  borders  should  be  resorted 
to,  but  for  mid-season  and  late  crops  it  is  im- 
material, unless  the  graperies  are  on  low  ground 
— then  by  all  means  keep  the  roots  inside. 

The  house  best  adapted  for  fruit  growing  is  a 
span  roof  running  north  and  south,  about 
twenty -five  feet  in  width,  with  ventilators  at 
both  top  and  bottom.  If  the  natural  drainage 
is  good,  there  is  no  necessity  for  going  to  the 
expense  of  putting  in  artificial  drains  for  the 
borders.  Still  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  an 
outline  of  a  grape  border  with  bottom  drainage. 

Dig  out  about  four  feet  deep.  Lay  a  tile 
drain  down  the  centre  of  house — a  three-inch 
drain  preferred.  Make  sure  in  laying  this  drain 
to  have  a  proper  fall  through  the  whole  length 
in  order  to  carry  off  the  water.  Make  an  open- 
ing into  this  main  drain  every  fifteen  or  twenty 
feet.  When  this  is  completed  the  bottom 
should  be  concreted,  grading  first  so  that  the 
concrete  in  centre  of  border  will  be  six  inches 
lower  than  the  sides:  this  allows  all  the  water 
to  run  into  the  drains.  On  the  rough  concrete 
add  one  foot  of  drainage  in  the  centre,  tapering 
off  to  six  inches  at  the  sides.  It  is  immaterial 
what  kind  of  drainage  one  uses — broken  bricks 
will  answer  the  purpose  with  a  thin  layer  of 


"214  Gardening  Under  Glass 

oyster  shells  if  they  can  be  secured.  From  this 
drainage  to  the  surface  there  should  be  from  two 
and  one  half  to  three  feet  of  soil.  If  possible 
cut  a  tough  sod  and  lay  over  the  drainage,  grass 
side  down.     Then  make  up  the  border. 

Vines  are  not  particular  as  to  soil,  although 
the  best  medium  loam  obtainable  is  recom- 
mended. A  sod  ploughed  up  from  an  old  pas- 
ture can  be  hauled  direct  to  the  border.  Farm- 
yard manure  often  used  to  enrich  the  soil  is  of 
short  duration  and  has  a  tendency  to  sour  the 
border;  however,  proper  supplies  of  food  most 
be  introduced.  Good  bone  is  one  of  the  main- 
stays in  a  grape  border,  and  for  the  bottom  of 
the  border  coarse  bone  from  an  inch  to  four 
inches;  using  a  finer  grade  toward  the  surface. 
The  borders  should  not  be  made  too  rich.  Many 
vines  have  been  destroyed  by  the  use  of  too  much 
food  in  the  soil.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  surface- 
feed  when  the  vines  are  in  condition  to  take  up 
the  food.  A  border  made  up  of  good  sod  land 
with  perfect  drainage  will  keep  in  good  condition 
for  years.  A  sprinkling  of  hard  wood  ashes  as 
the  border  is  made  is  a  benefit.  See  that  the 
bone  and  wood  ashes  are  properly  distributed  in 
the  border,  which  is  an  easy  matter  by  starting 
to  make  the  borders  a  thin  layer  of  sod,  then 
bones  and  ashes  sprinkled  in  as  the  work  goes 


Grapes  from  May  to  New  Year's       215 

on,  using  bone  at  the  rate  of  one  part  to  seventy- 
five  parts  soil  with  a  hght  apphcation  of  wood 
ashes.  Toward  the  surface  use  a  finer  grade  of 
bone;  in  fact,  for  the  top,  blood  and  bone  can  be 
used  to  good  advantage. 

The  vines  may  be  planted  in  either  the  spring 
or  fall — good,  strong,  one-year-old  canes.  Be- 
fore planting  disentangle  all  the  roots  so  they 
can  be  spread  out  and  covered  with  about  three 
inches  of  soil.  Vines  planted  as  they  have  been 
growing  in  the  pots,  not  breaking  the  ball,  will 
never  start  satisfactorily.  Plant  the  canes  three 
and  one  half  or  four  feet  apart — train  the  vines  to 
trellises  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  from  the  glass. 
For  the  first  year  early  forcing  should  be  avoided. 

To  have  a  long  season  of  Grapes  for  table  use 
three  houses  are  necessary:  early,  midsummer, 
and  late.  Suppose  we  start  our  early  grapery 
the  middle  of  December:  Grapes  may  be  cut  the 
first  week  in  May — such  varieties  as  Black 
Hamburg  and  Muscats  require  a  longer  season. 
In  starting  a  grapery  in  December  have  a  tem- 
perature of  45  degrees  at  night,  50  degrees  to  55 
day,  and  gradually  rising  five  degrees  every  twelve 
or  fourteen  days  until  the  temperature  reaches  65 
degrees  night  and  75  degrees  day,  or  80  with  sun 
heat.  This  should  carry  them  until  the  Grapes 
are  set,  when  a  temperature  of  70  degrees  at 


216  Gardening  Under  Glass 

night  would  be  in  order  with  a  rise  of  10  degrees 
in  the  day. 

Watering  when  the  vines  are  growing  freely 
plays  an  important  part  in  producing  good  fruit. 
Never  allow  the  border  to  get  dry.  The  amount 
of  water  vines  will  take  when  the  drainage  is 
good  is  surprising,  especially  when  the  fruit  and 
foliage  are  growing  fast.  Water  at  least  a  cou- 
ple of  times  with  manure  water,  that  from  the 
cow  barn  preferred.  Although  it  is  not  advisable 
to  give  a  border  a  heavy  watering  just  as  the 
fruit  commences  to  color,  vines  that  are  confined 
to  an  inside  border,  especially  as  the  border  gets 
full  of  roots,  will  take  quantities  of  feeding,  and 
for  a  complete  fertilizer  Thompson's  Vine  Manure 
can  be  relied  upon. 

Airing  is  another  important  item,  as  with 
careless  airing  everything  will  go  wrong.  The 
main  object  should  be  to  avoid  sudden  changes 
either  at  night  or  by  day. 

Fohage  plays  an  important  part  in  producing 
high-grade  fruit.  There  should  be  enough  foli- 
age to  cover  the  glass  nicely  without  crowding — 
one  perfectly  developed  leaf  is  worth  two  poor 
ones.  The  mode  generally  adopted  is  to  pinch, 
say,  two  or  three  leaves  beyond  the  bunch,  ac- 
cording to  space.  Pick  the  lateral  growth  at  the 
first  leaf. 


Grapes  from  May  to  New  Years       217 

Thinning  the  branches  is  a  tedious  operation. 
This  work  requires  some  judgment  and  a  certain 
amount  of  practice  to  make  headway.  The 
bunches  must  not  be  touched  with  the  fingers :  a 
small  stick  in  one  hand  and  scissors  in  the  other 
is  the  correct  method.  Usually  the  beginner 
will  fail  to  cut  out  enough  berries  at  one  thin- 
ning. The  aim  is  to  allow  enough  room  for  the 
berries  to  develop  to  their  full  size  but  when  ripe 
to  have  a  solid  bunch,  and  this  can  be  achieved 
only  by  practice. 

There  are  quite  a  variety  of  hot-house  Grapes 
to  select  from,  but  it  is  a  mistake  to  plant  too 
many  varieties  in  one  house.  Black  Hamburg, 
Foster's  Seedling,  and  Buckland  Sweetwater  are 
satisfactory  for  early  forcing.  Muscat  of  Alex- 
andria can  be  grown  in  a  mixed  house,  but  to 
give  this  finest  of  all  Grapes  justice,  it  should 
have  a  house  to  itself,  as  it  requires  a  longer  sea- 
son and  a  little  more  heat  to  bring  it  up  to  per- 
fection. All  Grapes  when  in  bloom  require  a 
fairl}^  dry,  bracing  atmosphere.  Gentty  tapping 
the  vines  or  flower  clusters  at  mid-day  when  in 
bloom  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  ensure  a  set  of 
fruit.  Such  varieties  as  Gros  Colmar,  Gros 
Maroc,  Lady  Hutt,  and  Barbarossa  are  recom- 
mended for  the  late  house,  as  their  late  keeping 
qualities  are  well  known. 


CHAPTER  XXI 


FRUIT    TREES    IN    POTS    THE    YEAR      ROUND 


Trained  this  way,  even  a 
fruit  tree  occupies  little  space 
in  the  garden. 


Can  any  one  imagine  a 
more  interesting  sight 
than  a  greenhouse  filled 
with  Apples,  Pears, 
Pliuns,  Peaches,  Nectar- 
ines, Cherries,  etc.,  all 
growing  in  pots,  the  brilli- 
ant coloring  of  the  vari- 
ous varieties  of  the  fruits 
rivalling  in  beauty  a 
house  filled  with  flower- 
ing plants,  with  the  added 
satisfaction  of  having  de- 
licious fruits  for  use  on 
the  table,  home-grown  in 
size  just  as  large  as, 
and  the  flavor  often 
far  superior  to,  those 


grown  in  the  orchards  in  their  proper  season? 

Failure  to  grow  hardy  fruit  trees  in  pots  is 
usually  caused  by  overheating  the  house  at  the 


Fruit  Trees  in  Pots  the  Year  'Round     219 

beginning.  If  you  will  pause  to  consider  for  a 
moment  how  nature  works  the  charm,  the  right 
idea  will  immediately  present  itself. 

First,  we  get  in  nature's  treatment,  after  a 
period  of  rest  in  winter,  a  gradual  loosening  from 
the  icy  grip  of  winter,  then  an  almost  impercepti- 
ble increase  in  the  temperature,  with  warm  sun- 
shine during  the  day,  but  still  very  cool  nights. 
So  nature's  forcing  is  done  during  the  day,  while 
a  halt  is  called  in  the  hours  of  darkness,  giving 
rest  and  recuperation  to  the  renewed  activity 
and  strain  consequent  to  the  resurrection  of  life, 
by  absolute  rest  and  inactivity. 

Fruit  trees  in  pots  do  not  require  an  elaborate 
house  for  their  successful  culture.  Any  house 
having  a  width  of  from  sixteen  to  twenty-five 
feet,  with  a  height  of  five  or  six  feet  at  the  eaves, 
and  about  twelve  feet  at  the  ridge  or  apex,  will 
answer  admirably.  It  is,  however,  necessary 
to  have  top  and  side  ventilation,  and  it  is  also 
preferable  to  have  one  or  two  partitions  in  the 
house,  so  that  different  temperatures  may  be 
maintained,  as  not  all  the  trees  are  brought  into 
the  house  at  the  same  time. 

Buy  the  trees  from  a  reliable  nurseryman. 
Trees  in  pots,  which  will  produce  a  crop  the  first 
year,  can  be  bought  at  about  $5.00  each,  and 
with  ordinary  care  these  trees  will  continue  to 


220  Gardening  Under  Glass 

produce  crops  for  many  years.     Some  of  the  best 
authorities  claim  that  a  fruit  tree  in  a  pot  can  be 
kept  in  fruiting  condition  for  twenty  years. 
Here  is  the  routine  of  management: 
The  earhest  varieties  of  Peaches,  Nectarines, 


Nectarines  and  Peaches  are 
among  the  most  satisfactory  of 
greenhouse  grown  fruit.  Their  yield 
is  abundant,  and  when  ripe  are 
thin  skinned,  beautifully  colored, 
and  of  a  flavor  indescribably  fine. 


Apples,  and  Pears  are  placed  in  the  house  about 
the  middle  of  January.  On  bright  days  the 
temperature  may  be  as  high  as  80  degrees  sun 


Fruit  Trees  in  Pots  the  Year  'Round     221 

heat,  while  if  the  day  is  dull  and  there  is  no  sun, 
the  temperature  may  be  as  low  as  45  degrees. 
The  sun-heat  temperature,  of  course,  means  with 
the  ventilators  slightly  open.  The  house  is 
closed  as  soon  as  the  sun's  rays  begin  to  decline, 
so  as  to  conserve  the  solar  heat  as  long  as  pos- 
sible. 

Maintain  a  night  temperature  of  42  degrees 
until  the  buds  show  signs  of  swelling.  The  ob- 
ject of  keeping  such  a  low  night  temperature  is 
to  allow  the  sun  to  do  all  the  forcing,  and  so 
imitate  nature  as  closely  as  possible.  At  this 
time,  with  swelling  buds,  raise  the  night  tempera- 
ture to  50  or  55  degrees,  with  same  temperature 
on  cloudy  days.  In  sunny  days  the  temperature 
is  kept  the  same  as  before. 

From  the  start,  the  trees  are  syringed  twice 
every  bright  day  until  the  blooms  are  opening; 
then  cease  syringing,  only  dampening  the  floors 
once  or  twice  about  the  middle  of  the  day,  and 
keeping  a  light,  buoyant  atmosphere  in  the  house. 

The  trees  are  gently  shaken  to  distribute  the 
pollen.  If  the  weather  is  cloudy  during  the 
flowering  period,  go  over  the  blossoms  with  a 
camel's  hair  brush.  This  assists  the  distribution 
of  pollen  and  gives  a  more  even  set  of  fruit. 

As  soon  as  the  fruit  is  set  syringe  on  every 
favorable  occasion,  ventilating  as  freely  as  the 


i^22  Gardening  Under  Glass 

weather  will  permit.  When  the  nights  are  warm 
enough  leave  a  circulation  of  air  night  and  day, 
until  the  crop  is  ripe. 

The  other  trees  are  brought  into  the  house 
about  jNIarch  1st,  and  the  Cherries  and  Plums 
from  the  middle  of  March  to  the  first  of  April. 
These  latter  do  not  set  their  fruit  unless  a  free 
circulation  of  air  (top  and  bottom)  can  be  given 
while  in  flower,  hence  the  idea  of  bringing  them 
in  late,  as  bj^  the  time  they  open  their  blossoms, 
the  ventilators  may  be  opened  slightly  day  and 
night. 

When  the  fruits  are  swelling,  the  trees  require 
liberal  feeding  until  coloring  commences,  when 
nothing  but  clear  water  must  be  given  or  the 
flavor  of  the  fruit  will  be  seriously  impaired. 

When  the  fruit  is  ripening,  the  trees  must  be 
kept  drier  at  the  roots — of  course,  not  dry 
enough  to  cause  wilting  or  shrivelling,  but  only 
watered  when  they  are  quite  dry,  and  then  not 
watered  again  until  they  are  really  dry.  This  is 
the  only  way  to  secure  good  flavor. 

After  all  the  fruits  have  been  gathered,  the 
trees  can  be  plunged  outside  in  a  sunny  position 
and  given  a  good  treatment  by  feeding  once  a 
week.  This  will  help  them  to  finish  their  growth 
and  ripen  their  fruit  buds  for  next  year's  crop. 

About  the  middle  of  September  the  roots  of  all 


Fruit  Trees  in  Pots  the  Year  'Round     223 

pot  fruits  should  be  examined,  and  where  a  trifle 
larger  pot  is  required,  it  should  be  given.  The 
larger  sizes  will  probably  only  need  the  balls 
reduced  slightly  and  can  then  be  replaced  in  the 
same  pot.  Reducing  the  ball  must  be  done 
with  great  care,  so  as  not  to  injure  the  roots 
more  than  is  absolutely  necessary.  Do  this  as 
follows : 

First,  turn  out  the  ball,  then  with  a  pointed 
stick  work  out  some  of  the  soil  from  among  the 
roots,  round  the  outside  of  the  ball.  Then,  after 
cleaning  the  inside  of  the  pot,  fill  in  the  spaces 
with  a  mixture  of  good  fibrous  loam,  well-rotted 
manure,  a  sprinkling  of  ground  bone  and  lime 
rubble,  working  the  compost  round  the  sides 
with  a  flat  piece  of  wood  and  making  the  whole 
firm  with  a  round  stick  or  tamper.  Then  water 
and  plunge  the  pots  in  the  ground  as  before 
directed. 

After  this  operation  spray  the  trees  three  or 
four  times  a  day  to  prevent  wilting,  and  carefully 
water  to  encourage  new  root  action.  Continue 
this  treatment  until  the  wood  is  thoroughly  ri- 
pened and  the  first  light  frost  causes  the  leaves  to 
fall,  when  the  trees  must  be  stood  in  rows  close 
together,  and  the  pots  covered  liberally  with 
leaves  to  prevent  breakage  by  freezing;  of  course 
leaving  the  tops  of  the  trees  exposed. 


^24  Gardening  Under  Glass 

The  trees  can  remain  in  this  position  until 
the  early  varieties  are  required  inside  for  forcing 
again. 

Any  late  varieties  of  fruit  and  those  that  it  is 
desired  to  retard  may  be  placed  at  this  time  in 
an  unused  carriage  room,  without  any  heat,  and 
the  pots  covered  thoroughly  with  hay.  Here 
they  may  be  maintained  in  an  equably  cold 
temperature,  where  the  now  increasing  strength 
of  the  sun's  rays  are  not  felt. 


CHAPTER  XXII 


VEGETABLE    GROWING    IN    FRAMES 


Where  only  a  small  quantity  of  forced  vege- 
tables are  needed  for  an  occasional  "treat," 
"coldframes"  may  he  used.  These  are  oh- 
tainahle  ready  to  put  together  (which  can  be 
done  by  anybody  with  ordinary  intelligence) 
and  in  them,  with  no  heat  except  that  supplied 
by  the  sun,  can  be  grown  such  plants  as  Lettuce, 


Coldframe  or  hotbed  banked  around  with  manure  to  keep  Jack  Frost 
from  working  his  way  in. 


226  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Spinach,  Parsley,  Mint,  and  Watercress  suffi- 
cient to  give  a  limited  supply  from  November 
to  May.  In  addition  to  the  crops  that  may  be 
grown  during  the  entire  winter,  there  are  others 
that  may  be  had  until  December  1st  or  later, 
and  again  during  the  month  of  May,  when  they 
cannot  be  grown  in  the  open  ground. 

Cauliflower  and  Brussels  Sprouts  may  be  had 
even  as  late  as  the  holidays.  Tomatoes  and 
Eggplant  may  be  planted  late  in  the  summer  in 
deep  frames,  and  fruit  had  for  the  table  long 
after  frost  has  destroyed  the  outdoor  plants. 

The  season  of  productiveness  of  nearly  all 
summer  vegetables  may  be  advanced  from  two 
to  three  weeks  in  the  early  spring  and  summer, 
by  sowing  the  seeds  in  coldframes.  That  cold- 
frames  are  of  great  value  to  the  gardener  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  they  are  important  ac- 
cessories to  nearly  all  large  private  and  commer- 
cial greenhouse  establishments. 

These  same  frames  may  be  supplied  with  some 
form  of  artificial  heat  which  will  transform  them 
into  *' hotbeds."  The  most  common  method  of 
making  hotbeds  is  to  excavate  a  pit  to  a  depth 
of  eighteen  to  twenty  inches  and  in  area  about 
six  inches  less  the  length  and  width  of  the  frames. 
This  pit  is  then  filled  with  manure  fresh  from  the 
horse  stable,  or,  if  convenient,  have  about  one 


Vegetable  Growing  in  Frames  227 

fourth  of  the  bulk  of  forest  leaves  mixed  with  the 
manure.  This  material  should  be  made  mod- 
erately moist  and  the  pit  filled,  taking  care  to 
tramp  the  material  as  firmly  as  possible.  Over 
this  is  placed  about  four  inches  of  good  loam — 
this  also  should  have  some  well-decomposed 
manure  mixed  with  it — and  made  firm.  The 
frame  should  then  have  leaves,  manure,  or  litter 
placed  about  it  as  high  as  possible.  The  heat 
given  off  by  the  fermenting  manure  should  ad- 
vance the  plants  materially. 

Hotbeds  heated  by  steam  or  hot-water  pipes 
from  greenhouses  or  dwellings  are  also  frequently 
made. 

In  addition  to  the  banking  about  the  sides 
with  some  material,  both  hotbeds  and  cold- 
frames  should  be  covered  during  cold  weather 
with  wooden  shutters  made  for  the  purpose,  and 
with  mats,  straw,  or  leaves. 

In  locating  the  frames,  place  them  facing 
south,  and  a  site  should  be  chosen  that  is  pro- 
tected from  north  and  west  winds  by  buildings,  a 
tight  board  fence,  or  anything  that  will  act  as  a 
windbreak. 

If  the  soil  where  the  frames  are  to  be  placed 
is  either  stiff  clay  or  light  sand,  a  few  inches 
should  be  removed  from  the  surface  and  replaced 
with  some  good  friable  loam  over  which  should 


228  Gardening  Under  Glass 

be  spread  two  or  three  inches  of  well-decomposed 
farmyard  manure.  This  should  be  forked  in, 
the  surface  then  made  level,  firm,  and  fine,  by 
raking,  when  it  will  be  ready  for  sowing  seed  or 
setting  plants. 

Parsley  seed  should  be  sown  not  later  than  the 
first  week  in  July.  Sow  in  drills  about  a  half 
inch  deep  and  eight  to  ten  inches  apart  and  keep 
well  watered. 

Lettuce,  Radishes,  and  Spinach  may  be  sown 
at  intervals  of  two  weeks,  beginning  August  15th. 
All  may  be  sown  in  drills  five  to  six  inches  apart. 
Lettuce  should  be  transplanted  when  about  two 
inches  high,  setting  the  plants  about  eight  inches 
apart. 

Roots  of  Watercress  and  Spearmint  may  be 
procured  during  September  or  the  early  part  of 
October,  and  planted.  If  kept  thoroughly  wa- 
tered. Watercress  will  grow  as  well  as  though 
planted  in  water. 

Aphides  or  plant  lice  are  apt  to  trouble  Parsley, 
Lettuce,  and  Cress,  and  are  very  annoying.  A 
dusting  with  tobacco  dust  and  some  tobacco 
stems  placed  among  the  young  plants  will  drive 
them  away. 

If  a  crop  of  Cauliflower  is  desired  to  mature 
during  December,  the  seed  should  be  sown  about 
July  8th.     Cauliflower  and  Brussels  Sprouts  that 


Vegetable  Grooving  in  Frames  229 

have  not  formed  heads  in  the  open  ground  may 
be  dug  up  and  planted  in  the  coldframes,  where 
they  will  mature. 

Young  Beets  and  Carrots  may  be  had  during 
the  fall  and  early  winter  by  sowing  the  seeds  in 
the  frames  about  September  1st,  and  an  early 
crop  may  be  had  again  in  the  spring  by  sowing 
about  March  1st. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE    HANDLING    OF    STOVE    PLANTS 

The  term  "stove  plants"  indicates  that  they 
require  a  high  temperature.  The  term  has  to 
a  certain  degree  fallen  into  disuse,  and  "tropical" 
is  perhaps  a  better  one. 

The  numerous  fine  foliage  and  flowering  plants 
belonging  to  this  class  are  among  the  most  re- 
markable and  strikingly  beautiful  in  the  world. 
With  few  exceptions,  stove  plants  require  a  rather 
strong  and  moist  heat,  under  which  conditions 
they  naturally  revel. 

Any  one  who  has  inspected  a  well  arranged 
house  or  tastefully  displayed  group  of  these  plants 
must  admit  they  are  wondrously  interesting 
and  beautiful,  and  when  their  comparatively 
easy  culture  is  considered  it  is  indeed  surprising 
that  so  many  growers  have  altogether  ignored 
them. 

Any  greenhouse  which  contains  sufficient  pip- 
ing can  be  made  to  produce  good  stove  plants. 
Many  are  grown  with  other  plants,  but  to  see 
them  to  advantage,  a  special  structure  is  re- 


The  Handling  of  Stove  Plants  231 

quired.  With  a  minimum  night  temperature  of 
from  60  to  65  degrees,  any  of  these  tropical  gems 
can  be  grown  to  perfection  if  the  necessary  con- 
ditions, such  as  careful  potting,  watering,  ven- 
tilation, and  cleanliness  are  attended  to. 

One  great  advantage  with  many  stove  plants 
is  that  so  manj^  of  them  are  splendid  house- 
decorative  subjects.  If  there  is  perchance  a 
scarcity  of  flowering  plants,  this  is  quickly  and 
satisfactorily  remedied  by  the  use  of  fancy 
Caladiums,  Crotons,  Dracaenas,  Marantas,  or 
other  of  the  beautifully  colored-leaved  varieties 
grown.  It  is  doubtful  if  in  the  whole  list  of  deco- 
rative plants  for  use  in  the  dwelling  there  is 
any  better  all-round  sort  than  Pandanus  Veitchii, 
which  will  thrive  as  well  as  a  Boston  Fern,  an 
Aspidistra,  or  a  Rubber  Plant  in  the  living  room. 

The  best  tj^pe  of  house  for  tropical  plants  is  an 
even  span,  eighteen  or  twenty -five  feet  in  width, 
with  a  central  bed  and  side  benches.  The  heat- 
ing pipes  should  be  on  the  sides  of  the  house. 

If  the  house  is  to  be  a  wide  one,  the  central 
bed  may  be  quite  low,  just  a  little  above  the 
level  of  the  path.  This  will  allow  of  better  head- 
room for  the  larger  specimens  and  they  can  be 
viewed  to  better  advantage  than  when  on  a 
raised  bench. 

Paths  are  often  constructed  of  cement,  a  ma- 


232  Gardening  Under  Glass 

terial  which  dries  up  very  quickly.  Iron  grat- 
ings laid  over  a  bed  of  cinders  or  bricks  are 
preferable,  as  they  hold  the  moisture  so  much 
better  and  make  it  unnecessary  to  use  the  hose 
so  often.  A  constantly  moist  atmosphere  is  con- 
ducive to  the  well  being  of  practically  all  fine 
foliage  plants.  The  flowering  varieties  in  a 
number  of  cases  prefer  a  period  of  comparative 
dryness  and  rest  in  a  cooler  house. 

The  best  potting  medium  for  tropical  plants  is 
something  that  will  require  a  small  volume  of 
peat.  As  a  rule  a  good  loam,  sharp  sand,  and 
well-decayed  leaf  mould  answer  well  for  the  ma- 
jority. Some  of  the  more  robust  may  need  some 
dried  cow  manure  or  bone  added. 

Marantas,  Alocasias,  x\ralias,  and  some  other 
varieties  enjoy  some  lumpy  peat  or  chopped  fern 
fibre  added.  Nepenthes  do  best  in  fern  fibre  and 
sphagnum  moss.  As  a  rule  a  rather  porous  soil 
is  the  best.  Broken  charcoal  is  an  excellent 
material  to  add  to  the  soil  as  it  helps  to  keep  it 
sweet. 

There  are  few  days  in  the  year  when  the  plants 
in  a  stove  house  are  not  benefited  by  a  hosing. 
The  house  had  better  be  closed  early  in  the  after- 
noon in  winter.  To  create  a  brisk  growing  at- 
mosphere, shutting  up  in  sinnmer  must  be  done 
later    in    the    afternoon.     During    very    warm 


The  Handling  of  Stove  Plants  233 

weather  some  ventilation  had  better  be  left 
all  the  time.  Both  top  and  bottom  ventilators 
should  be  provided — the  lower  ones  being  used 
only  during  hot  weather. 

If  ground  glass  is  used  in  the  roof,  no  shading 
will  be  required  except  in  summer.  This  should 
be  entirely  removed  early  in  October — ^a  strong 
light  helps  to  bring  out  the  bright  coloring  on 
the  foliage  of  stove  plants.  A  mixture  of  kero- 
sene oil  and  white  lead  makes  a  suitable  shading. 

The  roof  of  a  stove  house  need  never  be  un- 
attractive, but  it  is  unwise  to  train  up  too  many 
climbers  as  they  will  darken  the  house  for  the 
other  inmates,  but  space  can  probably  be  found 
to  run  up  such  plants  as  Allamanda  Hendersonii 
or  Schotii,  Bougainvillea  Sanderiana  and  ama- 
bilis,  Aristolochia,  Stephanotis  floribunda,  Cle- 
rodendron  Balfourii,  and  others  beautiful  and 
showy. 

Should  there,  perchance,  be  an  end  or  side  wall 
of  brick  or  stone,  these  can  be  covered  with  Ficus 
repens,  a  quick  and  close-clinging  climber,  or, 
better  still,  the  same  may  be  covered  with  wire 
netting  fastened  to  strips  of  wood  an  inch  thick, 
which  can  be  spiked  to  the  walls.  The  inside  of 
the  netting  can  be  closely  packed  with  moss  and 
fern  fibre,  and  planted  with  a  miscellaneous  as- 
sortment of   green-  and  colored-leaved  plants. 


234  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Adiantum  cuneatiim,  Fittonias,  Panicum  varie- 
gatiim,  Peperomias,  and  other  quick-growing 
plants  will  soon  cover  all  bare  spaces  and  make 
a  charming  show. 

To  break  the  flatness  of  such  a  wall,  rustic 


^' 

■:\ 

N 

^ 

fe#; 

'  \        ~^^ 

2i;'4:/    iki-^ 

1 

^ 

m. 

And  with  the  use  of  very  little  greenhouse  space  you  can  keep  over 
winter  some  of  the  tender  decorative  Cycads  which  are  so  effective  outside 
in  summer. 


pockets  of  virgin  cork  can  be  used  at  intervals 
and  in  them  nice  specimens  of  ferns  or  fine  foliage 
plants  may  be  placed.  Begonia  Rex  in  a  multi- 
plicity of  colors  is  one  of  the  best  foliage  plants 
for  this  class  of  work. 

The  use  of  rockeries  covered  with  anv  of  the 


The  Handling  of  Stove  Plants  235 

plants  previously  mentioned  will  make  any  un- 
sightly corner  very  attractive. 

Many  of  the  stove  house  plants  do  well  bedded 
out  in  summer — mixed  beds  of  colored  leaves 
certainly  are  very  effective.  Crotons,  Cala- 
diums,  Marantas,  Phryniums,  Dieffenbachias, 
Ficus,  Pandanus  Veitchii,  Acalyphas,  and  Pepe- 
romias  if  used  with  some  of  the  hardier  Palms 
which  stand  sunlight  and  green  Dracaenas  will 
make  a  splendid  tropical  bed. 

For  window  and  piazza  boxes  and  vases  the 
same  plants  answer  well,  but  must  be  kept  well 
supplied  with  water  at  the  roots. 

Outdoor  beds  are  benefited  by  a  hosing  each 
evening  in  hot  weather.  All  thin  and  forlorn- 
looking  plants  should  be  planted  out.  In  fall 
strong  cuttings  will  be  procurable  and  should  be 
inserted  in  moist,  warm  sand  to  root; this  is  better 
than  potting  the  old  plants. 

There  are  some  very  beautiful  flowering  stove 
plants  aside  from  the  climbers  already  named. 
Foremost  among  them  are  the  various  forms  of 
Anthurium  Andraeanum;  Eucharis  amazonica 
(which  will  flower  twice  a  year  if  given  as  many 
rests);  and  Clerodendron,  which  produces  bril- 
liant scarlet  hydrangea-like  heads  of  bloom. 
Plants  of  this  sort  may  be  started  from  seed  sown 
in  brisk  heat  in  January  or  February.     Medi- 


236  Gardening  Under  Glass 

nilla  magnifica  is  a  beautiful  plant,  carrying  big 
pendulous  racemes  of  wax-pink  flowers.  It  likes 
a  peaty  compost,  and  enjoys  a  high  temperature. 
The  Ixias  make  splendid  bush  plants;  I.  Colesii, 
Williamsii,  coccininea  superba,  and  Fraserii  are 
all  fine  sorts.  Allamanda  Williamsii,  a  dwarf 
flowering  variety,  makes  a  plant  of  great  value 
for  decorative  purposes  in  the  house.  Gardenia 
florida,  Pancratium  fragrans,  and  Gloriosa  su- 
perba are  another  good  trio. 

For  suspending  in  })asket  from  roof  netting, 
nothing  adds  so  much  to  the  picturesqueness  of 
a  stove  house  as  Nepenthes,  or  Pitcher  Plants,  as 
they  are  more  commonly  termed.  Osmunda 
fern  fibre,  charcoal,  and  plenty  of  sphagnum 
moss  grows  these  plants  to  perfection.  They 
require  frequent  syringing  overhead,  and  revel 
in  a  close,  moist  atmosphere.  Good  varieties 
are  Amesiana,  Hookeri,  Chelsoni. 

Colored-leaved  plants  are  so  numerous  that 
but  a  few  of  the  more  striking  can  be  named. 
Fancy  Caladiums  should  not  be  overlooked. 
They  are  summer  plants  and  are  to  be  dried  off 
in  the  fall.  They  are  ideal  plants  for  window 
boxes  in  the  summer.  Crotons  contain  a  won- 
derful assortment  of  forms  and  colorings.  A 
few  of  the  specially  good  ones  are  Queen  Victoria, 
Eclipse,  Duke  of  Connaught,  Golden  Ring,  Lord 


The  Handling  of  Stove  Plants  237 

Derby,  Magnificent,  Sunshine,  Reidii,  Nobilis, 
and  Her  Majesty. 

There  are  many  fine  colored  Draceanas — a 
few  meritorious  ones  are  Goldiana,  Imperiahs, 
Mayii,  Norwoodiense,  and  Lindenii. 

In  Marantas,  Lindenii,  Makoyana,  and  Veitchii 
are  all  attractive  and  easily  grown. 

A  few  other  choice  stove  plants  are  Sphoero- 
gyne,  Phyllotoenium,  Alocasia.  In  colored 
x\nthuriums,  Veitchii  is  the  most  majestic.  Other 
fine  forms  are  Crystallennium  and  Warocquea- 
num. 

The  graceful  Aralias  such  as  Veitchii,  gracillima, 
and  elegantissima  should  not  be  omitted. 

Propagation  of  Aralias,  Dracaenas,  Crotons, 
and  Dieffenbachias  can  be  carried  out  by  either 
mossing  and  rooting  the  tops,  or  putting  them 
in  sand.  The  Aralias  are  the  most  difficult  to 
root,  and  the  mossing  process  is  best  for  them. 

Marantas,  Alocasias,  Anthuriums,  and  many 
others  are  increased  by  division  of  the  plants. 
Nepenthes  will  root  in  moss  and  sand  in  a  close, 
moist  case. 

Allamandas  and  other  climbers  root  when  soft, 
in  half-ripened  wood  cuttings. 

If  there  is  a  small  propagating  house  it  is  well 
to  provide  a  bench  over  hot-water  pipes  for  this 
purpose. 


238  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Some  of  the  Palms  which  love  warm  treatment 
may  be  grown  in  the  stove  house.  These  include 
such  varieties  as  Phoenicophorium,  Livistona, 
Thrinax,  and  Licula.  A  few  of  these  dotted  in 
at  intervals  assist  in  breaking  any  stiffness,  and 
overcome  the  masses  of  colored  foliage  nicely. 

During  the  summer  months  young  plants  for 
the  stove  house  can  be  very  satisfactorily  grown 
in  frames.  The  pots  may  be  plunged,  and  with 
the  tops  close  to  the  light  and  plenty  of  syr- 
inging when  closing  up  in  the  afternoon,  remark- 
able growth  will  be  made. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

GREENHOUSE    AND    BEDDING    PLANTS 

There  is  no  sharply  defined  dividing  line,  as 
regards  general  culture,  between  either  "conser- 
vatory" and  "greenhouse"  plants,  or  between 
these  and  the  better  class  of  outdoor  "bedding" 
plants.  By  the  aid  of  glass  structures  many  of 
our  common  garden  favorites,  Mignonette,  Pe- 
tunias, hardy  Roses,  Canterbury  Bells,  Carna- 
tions, Snapdragons,  and  others  can  be  had  in 
bloom  in  and  out  of  season,  either  as  potted  speci- 
mens or  planted  out  in  masses  into  stagings  or 
benches — indeed  can  only  so  be  grown  to  perfec- 
tion. The  same  course  in  culture  leads  to  as- 
tounding results  with  Tulips,  Hyacinths,  Narcis- 
sus, Lily -of -the- valley,  and  all  other  kinds  of 
hardy  bulbous  plants  now  so  largely  grown  for 
cutting  and  winter  display. 

On  the  other  hand,  many  of  our  greenhouse 
plants  proper  are  benefited  by  a  temporary  so- 
journ in  the  open  during  summer  and  when 
planted  out  or  plunged  in  beds  or  borders  with 
taste  and  judgment  in  attractive  arrangement, 


240  Gardening  Under  Glass 

produce  grand  effects  impossible  to  obtain  with 
ordinary  bedding  plants.  Palms,  Dracaenas, 
Crotons,  x\gaves,  etc.,  may  thus  be  utilized  to 
advantage.     Their   removal   from   the  crowded 


And  for  the  spring  planting  outdoors,  plan  well  in  advance.  Then 
you'll  have  a  whole  garden  in  bloom,  ready  to  go  as  soon  as  the  weather 
is  warm  enough! 


conservatory  for  a  time  when  vegetation  is  most 
active  permits  of  greater  space  to  be  allotted  for 
perfect  development  to  those  remaining  indoors, 
an  important  point,  if  highly  finished  specimen 
plants  are  aimed  at.  P^or  an  attractive  interior 
arrangement  during  the  months  of  summer  any 
amount  of  material  for  the  purpose  is  at  the 


Greenhouse  and  Bedding  Plants         241 

plantsman's  disposal.  Besides  those  plants  al- 
ready alluded  to  as  suitable  for  indoor  and  pot 
culture,  recourse  may  be  had  to  Gloxinias,  Tuber- 
ous Begonias,  bulbs, and  summer-flowering  plants 
without  number.  Interspersed  between  the  ver- 
dure of  Palms,  Ferns,  and  the  nobler  species  of 
decorative  plants,  or  suspended  in  baskets  from 
the  roof,  clambering  over  trellises  or  covering 
with  a  mantle  of  bright  blossoms  nooks  and 
walls,  they  lend  life  and  color  to  the  scene. 
Here,  then,  good  culture  and  effective  array  go 
hand  in  hand  to  render  the  glass  house  as  much 
of  an  enticingly  charming  retreat  during  the 
warm  days  of  summer  as  it  never  fails  to  be  in 
the  days  of  bleak  winter. 

Bedding  Plants 

Although  all  the  many  kinds  of  truly  meritor- 
ious bedding  plants  are  easily  raised  from  seeds 
or  by  rooting  cuttings,  it  is  onlj^  when  a  start 
is  made  quite  early  so  as  to  have  strong,  robust 
plants  by  the  time  outdoor  operations  begin, 
that  satisfactory  results,  faultless  outline  of  beds 
or  borders,  uniformly  good  growth,  or  an  appre- 
ciably long  season  of  bloom  may  be  expected. 
While  some  of  the  varieties  extensively  used  for 
bedding,  for  the  filling  of  vases,  veranda  boxes, 
and  urns  are  started  in  the  fall  from  seeds  or 


242  Gardening  Under  Glass 

cuttings  and  grown  into  size  during  winter  under 
glass,  such  as  Daisies,  Forget-me-nots,  Geran- 
iums, Coleus,  Pansies,  Vincas,  and  all  greenhouse 
plants  adaptable  for  outdoor  effects,  the  greater 
number  of  species,  valuable  for  the  purpose,  are 
propagated  in  the  spring,  and  if  they  are  started 
early — most  of  them  from  seeds — they  will  grow 
into  excellent  material  in  good  season  for  being 
planted  out. 

Such  kinds  are  Stocks,  Petunias,  Asters,  Ager- 
atums,  Lobelias,  Snapdragons,  Marguerite  Car- 
nations, Chinese  Pinks,  Verbenas,  Scarlet  Sage, 
Zinnias,  Phlox,  Marigolds,  Cobaeas,  and  Cosmos. 
The  seeds  of  any  of  these  may  be  sown  in  Febru- 
ary and  March  in  shallow  boxes  or  seed  pans, 
and  if  sown  thinly,  covered  but  slightly,  the  soil 
well  firmed  and  kept  moderately  moist,  and  the 
boxes  are  placed  on  some  bench  in  the  greenhouse 
that  receives  heat  from  below,  germination  will 
take  place  in  from  five  to  ten  days,  after  which 
more  light  and  air  are  afforded  to  prevent  spin- 
dling, lanky  growth. 

Phlox,  Pinks,  Asters,  Petunias,  Stocks,  Snap- 
dragons, Carnations,  and  Verbenas  can  be 
planted  out  in  previously  prepared  beds  and 
borders  very  early,  as  soon  as  the  ground  has 
been  dried  off  and  is  somewhat  warmed  in  April 
or  early  May,  while  the  more  tender  of  the  varie- 


Greenhouse  and  Bedding  Plants         243 

ties  should  not  be  set  out  until  all  danger  of  freez- 
ing is  past.  Summer-flowering  bulbs  are  started 
in  much  the  same  manner,  pots  being  used  in 
preference  to  boxes,  especially  in  forwarding 
Dahlias,  Cannas,  and  Tuberous  Begonias.  Hardy 
bulbs  of  the  Holland-grown  kinds,  Snowdrops, 
Tulips,  Crocus,  etc.,  as  well  as  Lily-of-the-valley 
and  the  bulbs  of  all  true  Lilies,  are  planted  in  the 
fall. 

Potted  Plants 

With  the  exception  of  Palms,  Primulas,  Ferns, 
Cinerarias,  Gloxinias,  Cyclamen,  Calceolarias, 
and  a  few  others  raised  from  seeds,  and  those  of  a 
bulbous  character,  most  of  our  popular  indoor 
decorative  plants  are  multiplied  by  cuttings; 
Fuchsias,  Lantanas,  Crotons,  and  Geraniums  of 
all  kinds  being  examples.  Short-jointed,  sturdy 
growths,  the  firm,  partly  matured  young  wood, 
cut  below  a  joint,  trimmed  of  its  lower  leaves, 
inserted  in  the  sand  of  a  pretty  warm  propagat- 
ing bed  or,  should  this  not  be  available,  dibbled 
into  boxes  filled  with  sand  or  sandy  soil  and  these 
stood  on  a  warm  place,  and  all  kept  nicely  moist 
and  lightly  shaded,  describes  the  process  most 
favorable  to  the  rapid  formation  of  roots  on 
cuttings.  As  soon  as  rooted  and  before  the 
newly  formed  roots  have  grown  to  too  great  a 


244  Gardening  Under  Glass 

length,  transplant  from  the  sand  into  small 
pots,  to  be  followed  by  subsequent  shifts  into 
larger  pots. 

Transplanting 

Rapid  and  perfect  development  of  growth  is 
brought  about  by  timely  and  frequent  trans- 
planting, and  this  especially  in  the  case  of  young 
plants.  At  every  shift  a  pot  only  a  size  or  two 
larger  than  the  one  the  plant  comes  out  of  should 
be  used,  and  fresh  soil  for  filling  in  and  firming 
down  around  the  root-ball.  Seedlings,  when 
standing  too  crowded  in  their  first  seed  trays, 
are  helped  along  wonderfully  by  a  transplanting 
into  other  boxes  and  new,  fresh  soil,  allowing  at 
the  same  time  a  sufficiently  great  space  between 
seedlings  for  spread  and  thrifty  growth.  Large 
greenhouse  plants.  Palms,  Rubber-trees,  Azaleas, 
Oleanders,  Orange  trees,  and  specimen  plants  in 
large  pots  or  tubs  are  transplanted  when  appear- 
ance indicates  absolute  need  of  it,  often  but  once 
in  two  or  three  years.  Occasional  doses  of 
liquid  manure  will  uphold  vigor  and  health  and 
render  needless  frequent  disturbance  of  roots 
and  unwieldy  bulk  of  pot  or  tub.  It  is  the 
young,  rapidly  advancing  plant  that  is  most 
benefited  by  a  transplanting  from  pot  to  pot  be- 
fore ever  its  roots,  form  a  solid  ball. 


Greenhouse  and  Bedding  Plants         245 

Soil 

Sod,  dug  from  fertile  meadow,  roadside, 
pasture,  or  about  fence  corners,  piled  up  and  al- 
lowed to  weather  down  to  an  easily  crumbling, 
turf-like  substance,  is  the  best  of  soil  for  nearly 
all  gardening  purposes.  For  the  starting  of 
seeds  and  for  the  first  transplanting  of  seedlings, 
Ferns  and  rooted  cuttings,  it  should  be  run 
through  sieves,  while  for  larger  plants  it  should 
be  merely  broken  up  and  in  preparation  be  en- 
riched additionally  by  a  liberal  intermixture  of 
well-decaj^ed  barnyard  manure,  to  which  for  very 
large  plants  some  bone  meal  might  be  added. 
For  succulents,  Cactus,  Agaves,  etc.,  a  goodly 
sprinkling  of  sharp  sand  or  gravel  should  be  in- 
corporated; for  Begonias,  Cyclamen,  and  all  slow- 
growing,  finely  fibered  plants  a  portion  of  leaf 
mould  or  peat  together  with  sand  should  be  thor- 
oughly intermixed.  Old  soil,  full  of  acidity  and 
fungoid  spores,  should  never  be  used  in  potting, 
though  good,  fresh  garden  loam,  in  lieu  of  sod, 
does  fairly  well. 

General  Routine 

Temperature.  Plants  of  varying  species 
growing  under  one  glass  roof. in  the  summer  or 


246  Gardening  Under  Glass 

out  in  the  open,  of  course,  fare  all  alike  as  to 
temperature,  those  in  the  house  enjoying  the 
advantage  over  the  others  of  being  more  thor- 
oughly safeguarded  against  fierce  heat,  squalls, 
heavy  rains,  and  sudden  changes  of  temperature. 
During  winter,  early  fall,  and  spring,  when  arti- 
ficial means  must  be  resorted  to  for  adequate 
supply  of  heat,  conditions  are  well  under  control, 
and  a  medium  degree  in  temperature,  between 
50  and  60,  neither  too  low  for  hothouse  plants 
nor  too  high  for  the  less  tender  species,  may  be 
maintained  with  gratifying  results  all  around. 
It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  during  that  pe- 
riod growth  is  sluggish,  and  the  less  it  is  encour- 
aged by  needlessly  high  temperatiu'es  at  a  time 
when  light  and  sunshine  have  lost  much  of  their 
power  as  the  most  active  factors  in  the  promo- 
tion of  plant  growth,  the  finer,  the  cleaner,  and 
the  healthier  will  the  plants  be  when  the  season 
of  renewed  action  approaches. 

Ventilation.  P'resh  air  is  another  important 
agency  that  the  cultivator  may  make  free  use 
of  at  almost  all  seasons  of  the  year.  In  a  prop- 
erly constructed  greenhouse  it  is  easy  to  provide 
buoyancy  and  j)urity  of  air,  to  guard  against 
too  much  or  too  little,  against  sweeping  cold 
drafts  as  well  as  against  atmospheric  stagnancy, 
both  being  bad  for  the  plants,  while  with  rightly 


Greenhouse  and  Bedding  Plants         247 

adjusted  ventilation  fresh  air  proves  its  virtue  as 
the  most  potent  of  hfe-giving  elements. 

Watering.  To  hold  to  the  golden  midway 
between  too  much  and  too  little  in  watering  and 
sprinkling  is  yet  the  greatest  trick  in  gardening. 
Over-watering  and  under-watering  are  sins  many 
growers  are  guilty  of.  An  observant  person, 
however,  will  with  but  little  experience  soon  ac- 
quire the  art  of  watering  plants  so  that  it  will  do 
them  good  instead  of  harm,  and  will  soon  know 
when  to  water  and  how  much  to  apply.  It  all 
depends  on  the  character  of  the  soil,  on  the  con- 
dition of  the  plants  grown  therein,  and  on  the 
time  of  year.  Thus  it  is  obvious  that  during 
the  long,  hot  days  of  summer,  plants  must  be 
copiously  and  more  often  watered  than  in  winter; 
that  then  they  are  benefited  by  a  daily  syringing, 
while  during  the  cold  season  all  plants  under 
glass  should  be  but  sparingly  sprayed  and  should 
never  be  dripping  wet  at  nightfall.  And  again, 
a  plant  newl}'  transplanted  into  fresh  soil  needs 
less  water  for  a  time  than  one  firmly  established 
with  its  pot  filled  with  roots,  while  a  dormant 
bulb  or  a  plant  at  rest  needs  least. 

Insects  and  Diseases.  Over-watering,  sour- 
ing of  the  soil,  an  atmosphere  either  too  dry  or 
overcharged  with  stagnant  humidity,  sudden 
changes  in  temperature,  lack  of  fresh  air  or  ic}^ 


248  Gardening  Under  Glass 

currents  sweeping  through  nicely  progressing 
new  growth,  are  the  principal  causes  of  disease 
and  of  damage  by  insects.  Too  high  a  tempera- 
ture coupled  with  excessive  atmospheric  mois- 
ture during  winter  causes  soft,  sappy  growth, 
and  this  is  least  able  to  resist  the  onset  of  fungoid 
and  insect  foes  likely  to  molest  plant  life  under 
faulty  treatment.  Sulphur,  blown  through  the 
foliage,  is  a  remedy  for  mildew  and  leaf -spot; 
nicotine  or  tobacco,  in  the  form  of  liquid  sprays 
or  by  fumigation,  keeps  thrips  and  green  fly 
away;  scale  insects  yield  to  soap-suds  and  red 
spider  is  held  in  check  by  hard  syringing.  Little, 
however,  need  be  feared  from  disorders  of  any 
description  if  in  the  treatment  of  plants  alertness, 
care,  and  caution  are  exercised.  Proper  atten- 
tion to  cultural  details  wins  out  against  all  diffi- 
culties in  the  end. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

GROWING   VEGETABLES    UNDER    GLASS 

With  one  or  more  greenhouses,  even  though 
small,  some  or  all  of  the  varieties  of  vegetables 
specified  for  growing  in  coldframes  may  be  had 
throughout  the  fall,  winter,  and  spring;  and  in 
addition,  Tomatoes,  Cucumbers,  String  Beans, 
Asparagus,  and  Rhubarb. 

One  essential  for  a  greenhouse  intended  for 
growing  vegetables  (or  almost  anything  else  for 
that  matter)  is,  that  means  shall  be  provided  for 
abundant  ventilation.  Plants,  like  humans, 
thrive  very  much  better  if  allowed  to  breathe 
pure  air,  and  unless  all  the  air  possible,  consistent 
with  the  temperature  desired,  is  given,  the  plants 
will  not  attain  their  best  development.  Bright 
sunshine,  pure  air,  and  water  in  reasonable 
amount  are  prime  factors  in  making  plants 
happy. 

Good  soil  is  an  important  consmeration,  and 
is  not  so  difficult  to  obtain  as  is  often  supposed. 
"Fresh  sod  from  the  surface  of  an  old  pasture 
field"    is    generally    advised    by    horticultural 

249 


250  Gardening  Under  Glass 

writers,  and  the  advice  is  excellent,  but  the  man 
who  may  have  a  greenhouse  twenty -five  or  fifty 
feet  by  twenty  feet  in  his  lot  that  is  but  twenty- 
five  feet  by  sixty  feet  will  have  difficulty  in 
getting  that  kind  of  soil  and  he  can  get  along 
without  it. 

The  three  essentials  of  a  good  soil  are  sub- 
stance, friability,  and  fertility'.  Soil  is  rarely 
found  that  cannot  be  made  reasonably  good  by 
the  addition  of  some  other  material.  Sand  is 
very  friable  but  lacks  substance  and  fertility, 
but  may  be  made  to  grow  plants  by  the  addition 
of  manure  or  sifted  coal  ashes  and  soil  of  heavy 
character.  Very  heav^^  clay  soils  may  be  made 
good  by  the  addition  of  sand,  light  manure,  leaf 
mould,  or  other  material  that  contains  consider- 
able humus. 

Soil  for  sowing  seeds  should  generall}^  be  lighter 
and  more  friable  than  for  other  purposes.  A 
compost  of  one  half  good  loam,  one  fourth  sand, 
and  one  fourth  leaf  mould  or  thoroughly  well-de- 
caved  manure,  will  make  an  excellent  medium  for 


sowing  most  seeds. 


Tomatoes 


To  obtain  a  supply  of  Tomatoes  through  the 
winter  make  the  first  sowing  of  seeds  between 
July  1st  and  10th.     The  seeds  should  be  kept 


Groiving  Vegetables  Under  Glass         251 

reasonably  moist  until  the  seedlings  are  through 
the  soil,  after  which  time  take  care  that  the 
soil  does  not  become  too  wet,  otherwise  the 
young  seedlings  will  be  attacked  with  what  is 
called  "damping-off."  The  stem  of  the  little 
plant  will  appear  as  though  scalded  just  above 
the  surface  of  the  soil  and  all  plants  so  affected 
will  perish. 

As  soon  as  the  seedlings  have  become  about 
one  and  one  half  inches  high  take  them  care- 
fully from  the  soil  and  pot  singly  into  either 
two-  or  three-inch  pots,  or  they  may  be  trans- 
planted into  a  shallow  box  filled  with  soil,  placing 
the  plants  three  to  four  inches  apart  each  way. 
They  should  be  watered  carefully  with  a  sprin- 
kling can  and  shaded  from  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun  for  three  or  four  days.  When  the  plants 
have  attained  a  height  of  from  three  to  four 
inches  and  have  filled  the  soil  in  the  pots  quite 
full  of  roots,  they  are  ready  to  be  transferred  to 
the  soil  in  which  they  are  to  produce  fruit. 

There  are  three  methods  of  growing  plants 
for  fruiting.  All  are  good,  and  the  method 
adopted  must  be  decided  by  the  grower's  fancy 
or  convenience. 

They  may  be  grown  in  solid  beds  or  raised 
benches,  in  ten-,  twelve-,  or  fourteen-inch  pots, 
or  in  boxes.     Boxes  ten  by  twelve  by  twenty- 


^52  Gardening  Under  Glass 

four  inches  inside  will  accommodate  two  plants 
and  are  convenient  and  inexpensive.  When 
grown  in  pots  or  boxes,  leave  at  least  one  and 
one  half  inches  for  top  dressing  and  watering. 


In  your  glass  garden  a  few  plants  of  Tomatoes  will  keep  the  salad  dish 
supplied,  as  they  grow  and  yield  most  astonishingly.  And  they  ripen 
on  the  vines. 


The  method  of  planting  decided  upon  will  de- 
cide the  manner  in  which  the  plants  shall  be 
trained.     When  planted  in  pots  or  boxes,  it  will 


Groiving  Vegetables  Under  Glass         253 

be  found  best  to  train  them  to  a  single  stem 
which  can  be  supported  either  by  a  stake  set  in 
the  soil  close  to  the  plant,  and  fastened  at  the 
top  to  a  horizontal  wire,  or  if  the  plants  can  be 
placed  in  one  or  more  rows,  several  wires  may  be 
stretched  horizontally  and  the  plants  tied  to 
them  as  they  grow. 

When  the  plants  are  grown  in  beds  or  benches, 
two  methods  of  training  may  be  adopted.  If  the 
space  from  surface  of  the  soil  to  the  glass  is  from 
four  to  six  feet,  the  plants  may  be  planted  about 
eighteen  inches  apart  in  rows  and  trained  to 
single  stem,  supporting  as  advised  for  pots  and 
boxes.  When  the  space  above  the  soil  is  less 
than  that  specified,  it  will  be  better  to  train  the 
plants  to  two  or  more  stems.  The  plants  should 
be  supported  by  horizontal  wires,  the  lowest 
wire  placed  about  one  foot  from  the  surface  of 
the  soil,  and  the  others  above  and  about  ten 
inches  apart.  If  desired,  they  may  be  sus- 
pended under  the  roof  also,  keeping  them  at 
least  one  foot  from  the  glass. 

When  plants  are  grown  to  single  stems,  simply 
removing  all  side  shoots  and  keeping  the  plants 
tied  to  the  support  is  all  that  is  required  in  the 
way  of  training.  When  grown  to  two  or  more 
stems,  the  points  of  the  plants  should  be  removed 
just  above  where  the  first  flower  buds  are  formed, 


254  Garde  fling   Under  Glass 

and  as  many  of  the  resulting  side  shoots  trained 
to  the  supports  as  may  be  desired.  All  side 
growths  must  be  kept  removed  as  they  are 
formed,  and  when  the  growths  hav^e  reached  the 
limit  of  the  space  available  for  them,  which 
should  generally  not  exceed  six  feet,  the  points 
should  be  removed,  thus  effectually  stopping 
their  further  development. 

The  flowers  that  develop  during  the  fall  and 
spring  will  set  fruit  freely,  but  during  the  months 
of  Deceml)er,  January,  and  February  great  care 
must  be  exercised  in  order  to  get  fruit  set. 
Hand-pollination  must  be  practised  at  all  times, 
the  atmosphere  of  the  house  being  kept  as  dry 
as  possible,  and  all  the  air  possible  being  ad- 
mitted by  the  ventilators,  consistent  with  the 
temperature  desired. 

Hand-pollination  consists  in  going  over  the 
open  flowers  each  day,  preferably  about  one  to 
two  o'clock  p.  M.,  with  a  small  brush,  either 
camel's  hair  or  one  made  from  the  tail  of  a 
squirrel  or  rabbit. 

Another  method  is  to  have  some  pollen 
gathered  from  plants  grown  outdoors  during  the 
summer,  stored  in  a  dry  vial  or  box,  and  applied 
to  the  flowers  by  means  of  a  small  wooden  spoon. 

When  the  plants  are  first  planted  in  their 
fruiting  quarters,  see  that  the  soil  in  the  pots  or 


Growing  Vegetables  Under  Glass         '^55 

beds  does  not  become  over-watered.  This  would 
result  in  the  soil  becoming  sour  and  the  roots 
would  be  likely  to  perish.  After  the  roots  have 
spread  themselves  through  the  soil  freely,  liberal 
waterings  may  be  given,  and  generally  when  the 
first  fruits  have  grown  to  the  size  of  hens'  eggs, 
some  kind  of  feeding  may  be  practised,  particu- 
larly for  plants  that  are  grown  in  pots  or  boxes. 
For  this  purpose  nothing  is  quite  so  safe  and 
effective  as  good  cow  manure  or  sheep  manure. 
About  one  bushel  of  either  of  these,  placed  in  a 
coarse  sack  in  a  fifty-gallon  barrel,  the  barrel 
then  being  filled  with  water  and  let  stand  for  two 
or  three  days.  The  resulting  solution  may  be 
applied  to  the  soil  after  being  diluted  with 
three  times  an  equal  bulk  of  water.  This  should 
be  given  about  once  each  week  until  the  fruit  is 
practically  developed.  Surface  dressing  of  good 
cow,  sheep,  or  horse  manure  may  be  given  occa- 
sionally. Chemical  fertilizers  are  useful,  but 
should  be  used  only  by  experienced  growers. 

For  successful  crops,  seeds  should  be  sown 
about  every  six  weeks  until  about  April  1st, 
growing  only  just  enough  plants  from  each 
sowing  to  maintain  the  desired  quantity  of  fruit. 
If  properly  managed  this  will  give  a  supplj^  of 
fruit  from  about  November  1st  until  July  1st. 

The    varieties    generally    grown    are    Comet, 


256  Gardening  Under  Glass 

Stirling  Castle,  The  Rochford,  Lorillard,  and 
Marvel.  All  are  good  and  the  choice  made  will 
be  a  matter  of  personal  taste. 

The  temperature  in  which  Tomatoes  attain 
their  best  development  is  about  as  follows:  Dur- 
ing the  months  of  August,  September,  and  May 
and  June  when  the  outside  air  is  mild  and  the  ven- 
tilators may  be  kept  well  open,  60  to  70  degrees 
at  night  will  be  best;  75  to  90  degrees  with  bright 
sunshine.     Cloudy  days,  65  to  75  degrees. 

During  November,  December,  January,  Feb- 
ruary, March,  and  April,  58  to  65  degrees  at 
night,  70  to  80  degrees  with  bright  sunshine,  and 
65  to  70  degrees  during  cloudy  weather. 

Tomatoes  have  a  few  insect  and  fungous 
enemies  to  contend  with  when  grown  under  glass, 
the  most  common  and  destructive  being  mildew 
and  white  fly.  For  mildew,  dusting  the  plants 
with  flour  of  sulphur  or  some  of  the  prepared 
fungicides,  and  painting  the  heating  pipes  with 
a  mixture  of  lime  and  sulphur  are  generally  ett'ec- 
tive. 

For  the  white  fly,  hydrocyanic  gas  is  the  only 
eft'ective  remedy.  This  is  so  deadly  in  its  nature 
that  it  must  be  used  with  the  greatest  caution 
and  only  by  responsible  and  careful  people. 
The  method  of  use  is  as  follows :  For  each  3,000 
cubic  feet  of  space   weigh    out    one    ounce   of 


Groiving  Vegetables  Under  Glass         257 

potassium  cyanide,  which  should  be  wrapped  in  a 
piece  of  paper.  Then  measure  out  with  a  glass 
graduate  two  ounces  (liquid  measure)  of  com- 
mercial sulphuric  acid,  pouring  it  into  a  glass  or 
earthen  jar  of  one  or  more  quarts'  capacity. 
Then  measure  out  six  ounces  of  water  and  add  to 
the  sulphuric  acid  in  the  jar.  See  that  all  venti- 
lators are  closed  and  have  the  door  open,  ready 
to  make  an  exit.  Drop  the  paper  containing 
the  cyanide  into  the  jar  of  liquid  and  leave  the 
house  immediately  without  inhaling  any  air. 
Potassium  cyanide  is  one  of  the  most  deadly 
poisons  known,  and  sulphuric  acid  is  very 
corrosive. 

Cucumbers 

For  a  supply  of  Cucumbers  during  the  winter 
sow  seeds  from  July  20th  to  August  1st,  placing 
one  seed  in  a  three-  or  four-inch  pot  filled  with 
light  soil  and  placed  in  a  temperature  ranging 
from  70  to  90  degrees.  As  soon  as  the  plants 
have  made  two  or  three  true  leaves,  or  as  soon  as 
they  have  filled  the  soil  in  the  pots  fairly  full  of 
roots,  they  should  be  planted  in  the  place  where 
they  are  to  remain  permanently.  While  fruit 
may  sometimes  be  obtained  from  plants  grown 
in  pots  or  boxes,  it  is  advisable  to  plant  them  in 
a  fair-sized  bed,  say  3x4  feet,  and  at  least  eight 


258  Gardening  Under  Glass 

inches  deep.  Here  is  where  the  sod  from  an  old 
pasture  field  will  be  especially  desirable,  for  that 
is  the  kind  of  soil  that  Cucumbers  generally 
succeed  best  in,  although  inability  to  provide 
that  specific  kind  of  soil  need  deter  no  one  from 
attempting  to  grow  them.  Good  Cucumbers 
have  been  produced  from  the  soil  found  in  a  rub- 
bish heap.  Fairly  well-decayed  manure  from 
the  horse  stable  is  very  good  for  mixing  with  any 
soil  in  the  proportion  of  one  fifth  manure  to 
four  fifths  soil. 

The  best  supports  for  cucumbers  are  horizon- 
tal wires  placed  about  ten  inches  apart  either 
under  the  roof  or  at  the  end  of  a  house  or  section. 
If  under  the  roof,  the  wires  should  be  at  least  one 
foot  from  the  glass. 

Cucumbers  are  generally  grown  with  many 
branches,  the  point  of  the  young  plant  being  re- 
moved when  about  twelve  inches  high  and  the 
resultant  branches  being  again  "stopped,"  as 
the  operation  is  termed,  when  they  have  devel- 
oped three  or  four  leaves.  This  operation  is 
continued  so  long  as  the  plant  continues  to  grow. 

Plants  should  not  be  allowed  to  bear  fruit 
until  they  have  at  least  ten  to  twelve  developed 
branches,  and  at  no  time  should  a  plant  be  al- 
lowed to  carry  more  than  from  six  to  ten  fruits, 
and  if  the  plant  is  not  making  vigorous  growth. 


Growing  Vegetables  Under  Glass        259 

three  to  six  fruits  are  enough,  all  others  being 
removed  when  formed. 

There  are  two  distinct  types  of  Cucumbers 
grown  under  glass :  one  kind  known  as  English  or 
Telegraph  Pole  Cucumbers  produce  fruit  from 
twelve  to  thirty  inches  long,  and  they  are  very 
tender  and  of  good  quality. 

The  other  type,  known  as  the  White  Spine 
type,  is  very  similar  to  the  kind  grown  generally 
in  the  open  ground  for  pickles,  etc. 

The  English  type  is  generally  preferred  by 
those  who  grow  for  their  own  use,  while  the  White 
Spine  type  is  grown  for  commercial  purposes. 

Cucumbers  thrive  best  in  temperatures  of  Q5 
degrees  at  night,  75  to  85  with  bright  sunshine, 
and  65  to  75  during  cloudy  weather. 

The  atmosphere  should  be  kept  fairly  moist 
at  all  times  and  the  plants  carefully  syringed  or 
sprayed  with  clean  water  every  bright  day. 

Feeding  with  liquid  manure  as  advised  for 
Tomatoes  should  be  practised  after  the  plants 
have  begun  to  bear  fruit,  and  surface  dressings  of 
horse  or  cow  manure  may  be  given  occasionally. 

Beans 

Beans  may  be  grown  to  supply  the  table  from 
November  to  June,  by  making  sowings  at  inter- 
vals of  ten  days  to  two  weeks  from  September  1st 


260  Gardening  Under  Glass 

to  May  1st.  They  may  be  grown  either  in  pots, 
boxes,  or  beds,  the  last-named  method  generally 
giving  the  best  results. 

If  grown  in  beds,  the  seeds  may  be  sown  di- 
rectly where  the  plants  are  to  be  grown,  although 
where  space  is  limited,  if  five  or  six  seeds  are 
placed  in  a  three-and-one-half-  or  four-inch  pot, 
sowing  as  many  pots  as  will  be  required,  they 
may  be  grown  in  the  pots  for  two  or  three  weeks, 
thus  economizing  space  and  advancing  the  plants 
sufficiently  to  produce  continuous  supply. 

x\ny  ordinarily  good  soil,  with  the  addition  of 
about  one  fifth  of  the  equal  bulk  of  well-decayed 
^manure,  will  produce  good  crops  of  Beans,— 

The  plants  will  be  the  better  for  having  some 
kind  of  support,  although  this  is  not  absolutely 
necessary.  Branches  of  birch  or  other  trees  of 
like  character,  cut  like  small  pea  bush,  and  placed 
about  the  plants,  make  good  support.  Early 
Mohawk  is  one  of  the  very  best  varieties  for 
growing  under  glass,  although  there  are  many 
other  good  ones. 

Cauliflower 

When  this  crop  is  to  be  grown  in  the  green- 
house sow  seeds  once  each  month  at  least,  to 
insure  continuous  supply. 

The  variety  sold  under  the  name  of  Snowball 


Growing  Vegetables  Under  Glass        261 

by  the  various  seed  houses  is  the  best  for  growing 
under  glass.  To  get  fine  heads  of  CauHflower, 
the  soil  should  be  made  rich,  at  least  one  fourth 
of  the  bulk  should  be  good,  well-decayed  manure. 
Liberal  applications  of  the  liquid  manure  as 
advised  for  Tomatoes,  and  a  light  sprinkling  of 
some  commercial  fertilizer,  having  a  high  per- 
centage of  potash,  over  the  soil  after  the  plants 
have  started  into  growth,  will  prove  beneficial. 

With  the  exception  of  Lettuce,  Cauliflower  will 
generally  prove  the  most  satisfactory  of  any  that 
can  be  grown  under  glass.  Requiring  no  support 
and  being  comparatively  free  from  insect  pests, 
the  amount  of  labor  necessary  to  its  production 
is  less  than  for  most  other  crops,  and  the  snowy 
whiteness  and  superb  flavor  of  the  heads  can 
not  be  had  in  heads  grown  out  of  doors. 

Sow  seeds  about  July  1st,  and  for  succession 
once  each  month  until  April. 

When  the  young  plants  have  made  one  or  two 
true  leaves,  take  from  the  soil  and  pot  singly  into 
two-and-one-half-  or  three-inch  pots,  using  soil 
but  little  richer  than  that  in  which  the  seeds 
were  sown.  Water  thoroughly  and  shade  from 
bright  sunshine  for  three  or  four  days. 

When  the  soil  in  the  pots  has  become  nicely 
filled  with  roots,  the  plants  are  ready  for  setting 
in  the  place  where  they  are  to  grow.     Care  must 


262  Gardening  Under  Glass 

be  taken,  however,  that  the  plants  are  not  al- 
lowed to  become  what  is  termed  "pot-bound," 
that  is,  to  remain  in  the  pots  so  long  that  the 
roots  are  crowded  and  the  plants  starved  and 
stunted. 

The  beds  or  benches  should  be  sufficiently 
deep  to  allow  a  depth  of  six  to  eight  inches  of 
soil  and  one  inch  of  watering. 

They  must  also  be  provided  with  good  drain- 
age, that  is,  ample  means  for  the  water  to  escape 
from  the  bottom. 

Set  the  plants  about  eighteen  inches  apart 
each  way,  leaving  a  slight  depression  about  each 
plant  for  water,  as  they  should  receive  only  a 
small  amount  of  water  directly  about  the  plants 
until  the  roots  have  spread  through  the  soil  freely, 
after  which  time  no  reasonable  amount  of  water 
will  do  harm  if  good  drainage  has  been  provided. 

When  the  plants  have  grown  to  a  height  of 
about  ten  inches,  liquid  manure  should  be  given 
at  least  once  a  week.  Cow  or  sheep  manure  pre- 
pared as  advised  for  Tomatoes  will  prove  bene- 
ficial, also  drainage  from  horse  or  cow  stables 
diluted  with  eight  parts  of  equal  bulk  of  water. 
A  good  chemical  fertilizer  sprinkled  over  the 
surface  of  the  soil  at  the  rate  of  a  small  table- 
spoonful  to  one  square  foot  of  surface  may  be 
used  before  the  heads  form. 


Growing  Vegetables  Under  Glass        263 

When  the  heads  begin  forming,  the  leaves 
should  be  broken  inward  over  them  to  prevent 
the  sun  from  discoloring  them. 

The  green  cabbage  worm  will  generally  attack 
the  early  crop.  Hand  picking  seems  to  be  the 
most  effective  means  of  destroying  them.  Aphi- 
des or  plant  lice  will  frequently  infest  the  plants; 
these  may  be  destroyed  by  fumigating  with  to- 
bacco stems  or  any  of  the  tobacco  preparations 
that  can  be  purchased  from  seedsmen. 

The  varieties  that  are  likely  to  give  best  re- 
sults are  those  sold  under  the  names  of  Early 
Dwarf  Erfurt  and  Early  Snowball.  Purchase 
seed  from  reliable  seedsmen  only,  and  do  not  try 
to  economize  by  buying  low-priced  seed.  The 
very  best  is  the  cheapest. 

The  temperatures  under  which  Cauliflower 
thrive  best  are  as  follows:  For  nights,  45  to  55 
degrees;  for  days  with  bright  sunshine,  60  to 
70  degrees;  for  cloudy  days,  55  to  60  degrees. 
Ventilate  as  much  as  possible  consistent  with  the 
required  temperature. 

Asparagus 

For  a  winter  cutting  good  strong  roots  at  least 
three  years  old  must  be  procured  in  the  fall  before 
the  ground  freezes.  These  may  be  stored  in  any 
cellar  or  outbuilding   that    is    frost-proof,  care 


264  Gardening  Under  Glass 

being  taken  that  the  roots  are  not  allowed  to  be- 
come dry  at  any  time. 

For  forcing  the  roots  into  growth,  a  box-like 
frame  may  be  made  up,  over  any  of  the  heating 
pipes,  placing  about  an  inch  of  soil  on  the  bottom, 
after  which  the  roots  should  be  placed  as  closely 
together  as  possible  and  covered  with  soil.  A 
thorough  watering  should  be  given  and  the  soil 
never  be  allowed  to  become  dry.  With  a  mod- 
erate amount  of  heat  in  the  pipes,  the  young 
shoots  will  be  ready  to  cut  in  about  three  weeks. 

Rhubarb 

By  treating  in  a  similar  manner  to  Asparagus 
this  may  also  be  forced  into  winter  growth, 
although  this  vegetable  may  be  grown  in  total 
darkness,  as  in  a  cellar  that  is  reasonably  warm. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

ROSES   ALL    WINTER 

Climatic  conditions  have  a  wonderful  influ- 
ence over  the  different  varieties  of  Roses.  The 
man  who  has  always  been  fortunate  in  producing 
Roses  inland  does  not  realize  the  obstacles  ex- 
perienced along  the  seacoast.  Mildew  is  preva- 
lent more  or  less  in  proximity  to  salt  air.  There- 
fore the  gorgeous  Hybrid  Teas  cannot  be  brought 
out  to  such  a  high  state  of  excellence  as  when 
produced  on  a  higher  and  drier  location.  The 
grower  must  experiment  to  a  certain  extent. 
Killarney  and  its  sports,  when  grown  away  from 
the  sea  atmosphere,  is  a  rose  to  be  admired  by 
every  one,  but  it  cannot  be  grown  to  the  same 
high  standard  along  the  coast. 

In  selecting  Roses  for  the  seacoast,  Tea  Roses 
are  more  reliable  than  anything  else.  Ameri- 
can Beauty  is  really  in  a  class  by  itself,  for  two  or 
three  reasons.  First:  supposing  it  is  planted  in 
a  mixed  house  with  Teas  and  Hybrid  Teas,  it 
would  naturally,  or  in  most  cases,  have  to  be 
planted  where  head  room  was  at  command  on 


266  Gardening  Under  Glass 

account  of  its  tall  growing  habit  which  would 
damage  the  bench  at  the  back  of  it.  Second: 
American  Beauty  requires  a  night  temperature  of 
60  degrees,  whereas,  the  majority  of  other  Roses 
are  decidedly  better  with  56  to  58  degrees  at 
night.  Third:  assuming  the  house  to  be  of 
moderate  size,  only  a  limited  number  of  plants 
could  be  accommodated.  Figuring  the  damage 
done  through  shading  the  lower  growing  varie- 
ties, I  think  the  argument  is  decidedly  in  favor 
of  dispensing  with  Beauties  where  a  mixed  house 
is  the  aim.  A  fair  success  may  be  accomplished 
in  growing  American  Beauties  in  a  mixed  house, 
but  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  one  hundred  where 
a  mixed  house  of  Roses  are  grown,  minus  the 
Beauties,  results  will  be  more  satisfactory  all 
around. 

Results  Through  Systematic  Feeding 

It  is  a  difficult  problem  to  lay  down  any  set 
rule  to  follow  as  to  how  much  nourishment  shall 
be  given  for  best  results.  One  thing  is  certain — 
it  is  far  better  to  under-feed  than  to  overstep  the 
mark.  By  giving  light  feeds,  the  roots  will  go 
after  it  and  enjoy  the  exercise,  whereas  too  heavy 
an  application  is  apt  to  burn  the  roots  and  in 
reality  do  harm  instead  of  being  beneficial. 

Someone  may  say,  why  not  state  plainly  how 


Roses  all  Winter  267 

much  food  shall  be  given  to  the  Rose,  then  every- 
thing will  be  plain  sailing.  In  the  first  place, 
conditions  are  an  important  factor.  In  one 
case  let  us  assume  we  have  a  very  healthy,  vigor- 
ous house  of  Roses,  roots  unusually  active,  ready 
to  assimilate  anything  reasonable  to  their  liking. 
Then  take  another  house  only  moderate,  or,  say, 
decidedly  below  grade.  The  latter  cannot  take 
feeding  like  the  former.  Then  the  question  of 
soil.  Some  soils  are  much  richer  in  plant  food 
than  others;  or  suppose  a  house  of  Roses  received 
a  check  through  some  unforeseen  cause:  under 
such  conditions  mighty  little  feeding  would  be 
required  for  a  time. 

It  is  an  understood  fact  that  good  Roses  cannot 
be  produced  in  poor  soil.  The  method  of  pre- 
paring the  compost  is  sufficient  to  surmise  that 
manure  in  that  shape  mixed  through  the  soil  will 
benefit  the  plants  for  a  long  time,  as  it  will  take 
the  roots  a  considerable  while  to  penetrate  their 
way  through.  Consequently,  if  the  Roses  have 
been  planted  in  soil  as  recommended,  no  feeding 
of  any  kind  will  be  needed  for  at  least  three  or 
four  months. 

Potash  and  phosphoric  acid  are  important  fer- 
tilizers for  the  rose  crop.  This  can  be  supplied 
in  the  shape  of  hard  wood  ashes  for  potash  ap- 
plied on  the  surface  and  watered  in,  as  a  guide 


268  Gardening  Under  Glass 

say  at  the  rate  of  twelve  pounds  to  an  ordinary 
rose  bench  three  and  one  half  or  four  feet  wide 
and  fifty  feet  long — say  a  couple  of  applications 
during  the  season,  or  more  if  needed.  Bone  will 
supply  principally  phosphoric  acid.  This  can 
be  used  in  the  same  way,  in  a  trifle  lighter  pro- 
portion.    In  all  cases,  water  in  when  applied. 

For  Roses'  main  sustenance  there  is  nothing 
better  than  the  old  stand-by,  farmyard  manure. 
It  is  good  for  two  purposes,  either  applied  as  a 
mulch  or  to  use  in  liquid  form,  and  decidedly 
safer  in  inexperienced  hands.  Pulverized  sheep 
manure  can  also  be  highly  recommended — just 
a  light  coat,  or  say  enough  to  cover  the  soil,  and 
when  watered  in  it  will  not  be  noticed  much. 
Sheep  manure  must  be  used  with  more  care  than 
cow  manure. 

Through  December  and  the  early  part  of 
January  it  is  safer  to  dispense  with  feeding. 
During  the  short  days  it  is  poor  policy  to  excite 
growth;  but  from  the  end  of  January  on,  if  the 
Roses  are  in  a  healthy  condition,  regular,  syste- 
matic feeding  can  be  done  to  good  advantage — 
even  a  mulch  of  cow  manure  could  be  placed  on 
the  benches,  providing  root  action  is  lively,  and 
a  watering  with  liquid  manure  two  or  three  times 
should  be  sufficient  to  carry  them  through  the 
season. 


Roses  all  Winter  269 

Planting  and  General  Treatment 

Roses,  like  all  other  plants,  delight  in  a  clean 
house.  Before  filling  the  benches  with  soil  it 
pays  to  make  a  thorough  clean  up.  A  coat  of 
lime  wash  inside  the  benches  would  be  in  order. 
The  make-up  of  soil  has  been  explained.  All 
that  remains  to  be  said  is:  be  cautious  in  han- 
dling rose  soil  when  over-charged  with  moisture. 
One  could  aim  to  fill  the  benches  if  possible  when 
the  soil  is  of  a  happy  medium,  not  over  dry  nor 
too  wet;  just  in  a  free  working  condition. 
Should  the  soil  be  a  bit  on  the  wet  side  when 
placed  on  the  benches  it  may  be  allowed  to  dry 
out  somewhat  before  leveling  off.  Still,  this  is 
not  nearly  so  satisfactory  as  when  brought  in  a 
perfect  working  condition.  Soil  four  and  one 
half  or  five  inches  deep  is  about  right  for  raised 
benches.  In  solid  beds,  six  inches  can  be  used 
providing  there  is  perfect  drainage  below;  in  fact, 
it  is  the  perfect  drainage  that  brings  success. 
Clinkers  from  the  greenhouse  boilers  are  excellent 
for  that  purpose.  Then,  before  placing  in  the 
soil,  a  light  coat  of  long  manure  should  be  placed 
over  the  drainage  to  prevent  the  soil  from  sifting 
through. 

Assuming  that  the  soil  has  been  thoroughly 
mixed  with  the  manure  and  a  little  bone  added 


270  Gardening  Under  Glass 

all  there  is  to  do  is  to  level  off  the  beds,  breaking 
up  any  coarse  material  that  may  have  been  over- 
looked.    We  are  now  in  condition  for  planting. 

The  most  appropriate  time  to  plant  young 
stock  for  winter  forcing  is  around  the  first  of 
June.  This  gives  ample  time  to  have  good 
strong  plants  by  fall.  The  rows  will  be  placed 
according  to  width  of  bench.  For  instance,  a 
bench,  say  anywhere  from  three  and  one  half  to 
four  feet  in  width,  would  accommodate  four  rows. 
Then  some  varieties  may  be  planted  a  bit  closer 
in  the  rows  than  others;  the  Killarne^^s,  for  in- 
stance. However,  to  take  the  happy  medium, 
fifteen  inches  apart  in  the  rows  for  own  root 
plants,  sixteen  inches  for  grafted  stock,  would  be 
about  the  correct  distance  to  plant.  For  Ameri- 
can Beauty  allow  eighteen  inches. 

Have  the  young  stock  in  a  moist  condition  be- 
fore planting;  plant  ungrafted  root  stock  a  trifle 
lower  than  they  were  in  the  pots  or  cover  the  top 
of  bed  with  one  fourth  inch  of  soil.  Grafted 
plants  should  be  planted  deep  enough  to  cover 
the  union:  thus  will  be  seen  the  advantage  of 
grafting  them  as  low  as  possible,  and  in  planting 
the  soil  firmly,  leaving  a  depression  around  the 
plants  for  watering,  as  it  is  much  better  to  just 
water  around  the  plants  for  a  time  than  to  satu- 
rate the  whole  bench. 


Roses  all  Winter  271 

In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  when  the  roots 
are  more  active,  they  may  then  be  watered 
evenly  all  over.  Grafted  plants  must  be  staked 
and  tied  as  soon  as  planted,  otherwise  with  spray- 
ing the  grafts  are  liable  to  get  damaged.  A  very 
good  method  to  support  the  Roses  is  to  have  a 
wire  run  lengthwise  of  the  row  three  feet  above 
the  soil,  and  stiff  wire  rose  stakes,  one  to  each 
plant  and  tied  to  the  overhead  wire  for  steady 
support,  which  gives  the  house  a  neat  effect. 
Then  as  the  plants  grow,  tie  loosely  to  the  stake. 
Some  may  prefer  to  have  wires  running  parallel 
to  the  rows  about  one  foot  apart  and  supporting 
the  growth  to  those  wires,  doing  away  with  the 
upright  stakes. 

General  treatment  through  the  summer 
months  is  watering,  spraying,  and  keeping  the 
benches  free  from  weeds,  with  the  understanding 
that  the  soil  has  been  firmed  down  thoroughly; 
good  substantial  growths  cannot  be  obtained  in  a 
loose,  open  soil.  This  operation  as  to  the  general 
treatment  looks  simple  in  the  extreme — watering 
and  spraying,  any  one  can  carry  out  those  simple 
instructions.  We  know  that  Roses  delight  in 
abundance  of  moisture  at  their  roots,  but  is  there 
any  plant  that  will  resent  an  over-supply  of 
stagnated,  sour  soil  more  than  the  Rose?  The 
safest  and  soundest  advice  that  can  be  given  is. 


!272  Gardening  Under  Glass 

after  the  plants  are  properly  established,  when 
watering  give  a  thorough  watering  sufficient  to 
wet  the  soil  from  top  to  bottom;  then  no  more 
until  absolutely  necessary. 

True,  plants  cannot  talk,  but  the  grower  that 
takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  culture  of  his  pets 
will  soon  learn  by  the  appearan-ce  of  their  foliage 
when  they  are  in  need  of  moisture.  Continual 
watering  with  no  chance  to  dry  out  will  sour  or 
ruin  the  best  of  soil.  The  same  may  be  said 
about  spraying.  By  directing  the  force  in  their 
proper  channels  a  house  of  Roses  can  be  sprayed 
effectively  without  saturating  the  bench.  To- 
ward fall  will  test  the  rose-grower's  skill  as 
much  as  any  time  throughout  the  year.  At  that 
time,  or  say  just  before  starting  the  fire,  good 
judgment  mlist  be  used  as  to  syringing.  In  all 
probability,  too  much  moisture  would  be  incen- 
tive to  black  spots  and  fungous  growths.  In  the 
fall  they  should  be  sprayed  only  when  the 
weather  is  clea*r — in  the  morning  so  that  the  foli- 
age will  be  dry  before  night.  Firing  and  careful 
curing  will  demand  close  attention  in  the  fall, 
especially  when  the  atmosphere  is  damp  and 
foggy,  or  say  when  the  night  temperature  drops 
much  below  60  degrees.  It  is  then  policy  to  use 
a  little  fire  heat — just  enough  fire  heat  to  drive 
the  damp  air  out.     Never  close  a  rose  house 


Roses  all  Winter  273 

down  for  any  length  of  time  unless  artificial  heat 
is  used.  Indeed,  for  some  time  after  the  fires 
are  started  in  the  fall,  a  crack  of  air  should  be 
left  on  all  night,  until  the  nights  are  so  cold  that 
the  pipes  are  kept  fairly  warm.  The  object  is 
to  prevent  heavy  condensation.  It  is  much 
better  to  have  Rose  foliage  dry  during  the  night. 
A  word  of  warning  against  careless  airing.  No 
matter  how  careful  all  other  details  have  been 
carried  out,  careless  airing — uneven  tempera- 
tures— will  destroy  or  cause  the  whole  thing  to 
be  a  complete  failure.  And  particularly  so 
through  the  short  days.  However,  the  methods 
of  airing  are  so  simple  that  any  one  with  judg- 
ment can  do  the  work  successfully.  When  we 
once  get  down  to  regular  rose  house  temperature 
maintain  56  to  58  degrees  at  night  with  a  raise  of 
10  degrees  during  the  day  or,  with  sun  heat,  15 
degrees.  The  main  point  in  airing  is  when  the 
thermometer  goes  4  or  5  degrees  above  night 
temperature,  put  on  a  crack  of  air,  but  not  to 
the  extent  to  lower  the  temperature.  Allow 
the  thermometer  to  climb  up  gradually:  also 
gradually  increase  the  ventilation  until  the 
maximum  is  reached,  then  hold  steady  by  adding 
more  air  or  reducing  as  the  case  may  be.  The 
same  method  should  be  followed  in  the  afternoon, 
bringing  the  vents  down  by  degrees. 


i^74  Gardening  Under  Glass 

We  all  know  the  Rose  to  be  an  outdoor  plant,  so 
while  we  are  gi'owmg  the  Rose  artificially  let  us 
imitate  nature's  temperatures  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible, in  regard  to  gradual  raising  in  the  morning 
and  gradual  dropping  toward  night.  Then  we 
are  on  the  joad  to  success. 

Keep  all  flower  buds  off  the  plants  until  they  are 
strong  enough  to^vithstand  cutting,  which  should 
be  around  the  end  of  September,  assuming  they 
were  planted  on  the  benches  during  the  first  week 
in  June. 

Cuttinc)  a  Floicer 

A  Rose  bud  should  always  be  cut  before  the 
petals  loosen  up  much.  K  fairly  good  criterion 
to  follow  up  is  to  give  the  bud  a  light  pressure 
with  the  finger  and  thumb.  If  the  bud  feels  hard 
and  solid,  allow  it  to  develop  a  little  more;  a  bud 
that  is  in  condition  to  cut  will  give  slightly  by  a 
light  pressure.  Usually  buds  soften  up  during 
the  night.  Consequently  the  house  must  be 
gone  over  every  morning,  and  whatever  is  ready 
cut  before  the  sun  plays  on  them.  It  is  also  poor 
policy  to  cut  and  use  directly  for  decorating,  or 
for  shipping.  Far  better  keep  in  water  in  a  cool 
place  for  a  day,  which  allows  the  stems  to  absorb 
water.  The  flower  will  be  found  to  keep  in  a  fresh 
condition  longer.  Keep,  of  course,  in  a  cool 
place — about  40  degrees  would  be  ideal. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

ALL  KINDS  OF  GREENHOUSES  AND   WHAT  MAY  BE 
GROWN    THEREIN 

Wherever  it  is  (and  whoever  its  owner  may 
be)  a  greenhouse  is  bound  to  be  one  of  three 
things:  it  is  a  structure  wherein  certain  plants 
are  grown  for  the  purpose  of  securing  their 
flowers  or  fruit — in  other  words,  a  flower  or  fruit 


More  and  more  the  "standard  ready-built"  glass  garden  is  proving 
its  practicability.  It  gives  complete  satisfaction  in  the  end,  and  saves  a 
lot  of  money  in  the  beginning. 

275 


276  Gardening  Under  Glass 

factory;  or  it  is  a  general  laboratory  attached  to 
the  garden,  where  plants  are  propagated,  nursed 
to  health  when  sick,  and  wintered  if  tender,  and 
grown  for  use  in  the  dwelling;  or  it  is  an  indoor 
garden  with  all  that  the  term  implies  of  a  place 
in  which  to  loiter  as  well  as  to  potter  about — a 
place  of  real  charm  and  beauty  as  well  as  a  suit- 
able home  for  the  plants  which  grow  therein. 
In  this  last  character  it  may  be  more  a  conserva- 
tory than  a  greenhouse,  although  a  conservatory 
is  not,  strictly  speaking,  to  be  regarded  in  the 
same  way  as  a  greenhouse,  since  it  affords  a  home 
only  for  plants  grown  elsewhere  and  brought 
into  it  for  show. 

Some  of  the  elaborate  winter  gardens  are  of 
this  type  as  well,  being  planned  to  be  continually 
filled  from  growing  houses  built  for  the  purpose. 
But  the  garden  under  glass  is  not  of  necessity 
carried  on  in  this  double  fashion  since  plants 
will  grow  in  it  even  as  they  grow  out  of  doors  in 
the  outdoor  summer  garden  if  it  is  planned  to 
that  end.  For  the  fullest  enjoyment  of  a  garden 
enthusiast  there  is  no  doubt  that  this  is  the  better 
choice,  since  the  varied  operations  of  both  gar- 
dens may  then  be  carried  on  supplementally  and 
a  variety  of  effects  be  enjoyed — not  identical 
with  each  other,  by  any  means,  but  along  parallel 
lines. 


All  Kinds  of  Greenhouses  277 

Actually  there  is  a  greenhouse  for  every  kind 
of  place — and  person.  And  there  is  sound 
reason  for  every  kind  of  place  and  person  having 
one;  for  a  greenhouse  is  not  in  any  sense  of  the 
word  an  extravagance,  save  as  it  is  made  one  in 
the  manner  of  handling.  To  the  large  place  it 
is  an  essential  adjunct  of  both  the  ornamental 
and  practical  gardens;  to  the  medium-sized 
establishment  it  is  a  valuable  addition  to  these; 
and  to  the  tiny  plot  of  ground  around  a  suburban 
home  it  is  practically  a  multiplication  of  oppor- 
tunity by  two  at  any  rate,  if  not  by  four  or  five. 
And  going  one  step  further  it  is  a  garden  where 
there  is  no  ground  at  all  since  the  roof  of  a  city 
residence  will  furnish  an  ideal  site.  Similarly,  it 
may  require  the  time  of  several  men,  or  only  one; 
or  it  may  be  its  enviable  owner's  own  particular 
hobby,  sharing  the  heat  of  his  house  and  not 
dependent,  therefore,  upon  separate  stoking; 
and  occupying  him  in  his  off  hours.  If  it  is  to 
be  cared  for  in  this  way,  however,  it  is  well  to 
say  at  once  that  it  should  be  small;  for,  like  a 
garden,  a  greenhouse  may  easily  be  large  enough 
to  get  out  of  hand  and  never  be  gotten  in  again! 

The  kind  of  greenhouse  which  is  decided  upon 
will  of  course  govern  its  location  very  largely. 
The  purely  working  glass  house  should  be  placed 
where  its  relation  to  the  garden  that  it  serves 


278  Gardening  Under  Glass 

makes  for  the  highest  degree  of  efficiency  in 
handhng  the  plants  as  they  go  in  or  come  out; 
and  apart  from  this  consideration  there  is  actu- 
ally no  other,  as  far  as  the  building  itself  is  con- 


THINGS  TO  REMEMBER  IN  BUILDING 

Standard  Dimensions 

Side  benches  3  feet  wide  Centre  benches  5^  feet  wide 

Walks  2^  feet  wide 
House  11  feet  wide  allows  two  side  benches,  one  walk. 
House  18  feet  wide  allows  two  side  benches,  two  walks,  and  one 

centre  bench. 
House  25  feet  wide  allows  two  side  benches,  two  centre  benches, 

three  walks. 
Length  is  usually  figured  in  units  of  25  feet. 

Things  to  Be  Sure  of  Things  to  Beware  of 

Foundation  to  below  frostline         Meagre  and  improper  founda- 
Cypress  only,  for  all  wooil  used  tion 

Clear  white  glass,  double  thick       Insecure  framework 
Heating  plant  25%  above  re-       Wrong  wood  for  framework 

quireraents  Framework  too  heavy  or  too 

Uninterrupted     sun     exposure  light 

always  Insufficient  capacity  in  heating 

Well-considered  inside  plan  plant 

Benches  on  level  with  sill  Color  in  the  glass 

Location  too  near  a  boundary 
screen  so  it  will  be  shaded 


cerned,  aside  from  the  vitalness  of  its  freedom 
from  shade  of  trees  or  near-by  buildings.  It 
must  have  unhindered  light  and  sunshine. 

With  regard  to  the  garden's  appearance  and 
design,  however,  the  location  of  a  building  of  such 


All  Kinds  of  Greenhouses  279 

aggressive  character  is  of  tremendous  conse- 
quence, and  demands  the  most  thoughtful  care. 
For  improperly  placed  it  may  irreparably  mar 
the  entire  garden  picture;  and  yet,  given  proper 
thought,  can  be  a  most  attractive  acquisition. 

Fitting  It  to  the  Place 

Much  study  is  now  being  given  to  greenhouse 
design  from  an  architectural  as  well  as  from  a 
practical  standpoint,  and  structures  that  are 
pleasing  in  appearance  have  been  developed  fit 
to  assume  a  place  in  the  garden  scheme.  So  it 
is  no  longer  necessary  to  hide  even  the  strictly 
utilitarian  building.  But  unless  the  greenhouse 
can  be  made  an  acceptable  unit  of  the  general 
scheme  and  not  obviously  an  afterthought  it  is 
better  not  to  let  it  appear  at  all,  but  have  it 
obscured  by  proper  planting. 

On  small  suburban  grounds  it  must  of  course 
take  a  relatively  prominent  place  and  may  be- 
come in  effect  an  addition  to  the  home.  In  this 
connection  a  transition  from  dwelling  to  green- 
house by  means  of  a  glass  corridor  will  usually 
solve  the  problem  of  their  relation  to  each  other 
by  separating  them  enough  to  allow  each  its  in- 
dividuality ;  which  is  far  better  than  any  attempt 
to  weld  them  into  a  single  unit.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  they  cannot  be  so  welded,  and  the  effort 


280  Gardening  Under  Glass 

actually  to  bring  them  together  may  be  to  the 
detriment  of  both. 

Sunshine  to  the  fullest  degree  is  of  course  req- 
uisite. Choose  a  site,  therefore,  where  this  is 
insured  and  permanently  so.  The  angle  of  sun- 
light incidence  at  noon  on  the  shortest  day  of 
the  year  is  22  degrees;  therefore  the  greenhouse 
must  be  kept  beyond  this  angle's  distance  from 
anything  on  its  south  side.  Be  careful  also  to 
choose  a  well-drained  spot  and  a  comparatively 
high  one,  for  poor  drainage  and  damp  conditions 
generally  are  breeders  of  mildew;  and  with  this 
handicap  in  surroundings  it  is  practically  impos- 
sible to  maintain  the  proper  atmospheric  condi- 
tions under  the  glass. 

These  conditions  being  observed  the  points 
of  the  compass  may  be  disregarded  generally, 
though  if  fruits  on  trellises  are  to  be  grown  the 
trellis  should  run  north  and  south.  This  will 
mean  that  where  it  is  lengthwise  the  house  itself 
must  run  north  and  south,  but  where  it  is  cross- 
wise the  house  will  run  east  and  west,  bringing 
the  trellis  north  and  south. 

Its  Shape  and  the  Frame 

The  type  of  frame  most  generally  in  use  to-day 
is  the  modified  curved  eave,  whether  the  struc- 
ture is  an  even  span  or  a  lean-to.     It  has  very 


All  Kinds  of  Greenhouses  ^81 

attractive  roof  lines,  gives  a  maximum  of  light 
to  the  plants,  and  allows  ample  side  ventilation 
above  the  benches.  As  to  the  form  of  the  house 
there  is  no  question  about  the  superiority  of  the 
even  span;  and  there  is  seldom  any  good  reason 


The  curved  eave  type  is  the  one  most  favored  to-day.     A  house  Hke 
this  will  last — well,  nobody  yet  knows  how  many  sunny,  joy-611ed  years! 

for  building  anything  else.  The  lean-to  may  of 
course  be  the  only  thing  that  will  fit  in  certain 
restricted  places,  but  if  it  can  possibly  be  avoided 
it  should  be.  Even  when  the  greenhouse  is  to 
be  attached  to  the  garage  or  wing  of  some  existing 
building,  it  may  perfectly  well  be  even  span  and 
stand  end  on  instead  of  being  only  half  a  house 
with   excessive   roof   height   standing   side   on. 


282 


Gardening  Under  Glass 


Plants  growing  in  a  lean-to  are  bound  to  "draw" 
or  lean  strongly  in  one  direction  because  of  the 
uneven  distribution  of  light,  and  the  difficulty  of 
proper  ventilation.  .;. 


POSSIBILITIES  OF  THE  UNHEATED  GREENHOUSE - 

Prickly  Spinach  sown  in  August  will  germinate  and  carry  through  the  winter. 

Half-grown  Lettuce  from  the  garden  will  mature  if  brought  in. 

Cauliflowers  not  yet  headed  will  mature  inside. 

Dandelions  may  be  grown  for  winter  greens  from  strong  roots  that  have  first  been  frosted 

outside. 
By  January  15  sow  Peas,  Radishes,  Lettuce,  and  Round  Spinach. 
In  February  sow  Lettuce,  Beets  and  Spinach. 

Plant  Asparagus  roots  under  benches,  cover  with  3"  of  earth,  and  cut  in  March. 
Mushrooms  may  be  grown  also,  as  the  natural  warmth  of  late  winter's  sun  suffices. 
By  January  25  sow  Sweet-peas,  Bachelor  Buttons,  Mignonette,  and  Marigolds. 
February  25  start  any  deciduous  shrubs  desired,  also  Tulips,  Hyacinths,  etc. 
Bring  indoors  any  sprmg-fiowering  herbaceous  plants  for  early  bloom. 

PLANT  COMBINATIONS  BY  TEMPERATURE  ^  • 


Cool:  35°-^0°  at  Night 

Flowers- 
Agave  Calceolaria,  Campanula,  Chrysan- 
themum, Cheiranthus,  Cineraria,  Eri- 
ca, Eupatorium,  Genista,  Iberis, 
Mignonette,  Myosotis,  Stock,  Sweet- 
pea. 

Shrubs — 

Cestrum,  Chorizema,  Lagerstroemia,  Mag- 
noha,  Nerium,  Punica,  Rhododendron. 

Ornamental  Plants — 
Aucuba,  Bay-tree. 

Vegetables — 

Endive,  Lettuce,  Parsley,  Radish. 


Hot  (or  Stove);  65°— 80°  at  Night 

Flowers^ 

Achimenes,  Aristolochia,  Begonia,  Ceph- 
alotus,  Eucharis,  Euphorbia,  Gloxi- 
nia, Lily-of-the-valley,  Poinsettia, 
Nepenthes. 

Shrubs — 

Gardenia,  Ixora,  Lantana,  Philodendron. 


Ornamental  Plants — 

Adiantum,  Alsophila,  .\ntliurium,  Areca, 


Gloriosa,     Hoya, 


Asplenium,  Banana,  Bertolonia, 
rassus,  Caladium,  Calathea,  Caryota, 
Cocos,  Corypha,  Croton,  Cyathea 
Cycas,  DavalHa,  Dicksonia,  Dieffen 
bachia,  Dracaena,  Ficus,  Kentia, 
Li\'istona,  Maranta,  Pandanus,  Phoe 
nix,  Platycerium,  Rhapis. 

Climbers — 

Allamandi,     Clitoria, 
Thunbergia. 

Orchids — 

Calanthe,  Epidendrum,  Phalaenopsis. 

Vegetables — 
Cucumber,  Eggplant. 

Fruits — 

Citrus  fruits,  Muskmelon. 

Intermediate;  45° — 55°  at  Night 

Floicers — 

Agapanthus,  .\llium,  Alyssum,  Antirrhi- 
num, Cactus,  Canna,  Epiphyllum, 
Erythrinum,  Freesia,  Geranium,  Gladi- 
olus, Hyacinth,  Iris,  Kalanchoe,  Orni- 
thogalum,  Oxalis,  Pelargonium,  Plum- 
bago, Primula,  Stevia. 


Shrubs— 

Acacia,  Hydrangea,  Lila 


Ornamental  Plants- 
Alternanthera. 


All  Kinds  of  Greenhouses 


283 


Climbers — 

Lapageria,  Passiflora,  Wisteria. 


Orchids — 

Anguloa,  Cypnpedium,  Odontoglossum. 


Vegetables — 

Asparagus,  Beans,  Beets,  Carrots,  Cauli- 
flower, Lettuce,  Mushrooms,  Onions, 
Peas,  Rhubarb,  Seakale,  Spinach. 

Warm;  55°— 65°  at  Night 

Flowers — 

Abutilon,  Amaryllis,  Astilbe,  Begonia, 
Bouvardia,  Cactus,  Calla-lily,  Celosia, 
Clivia,  Cyclamen,  Fuchsia,  Helio- 
trope, HymenocaUis  (Ismene),  Lilium, 
Tropaeolum,  Nymphaea. 


Shrubs — ■ 

Aralia,   Azalea,   Camellia,  Hibiscus,  Rose, 
Spiraea,  Sv 


Ornamental  Plants — 

Ananas,  Araucaria,  Asparagus,  Aspidistra, 

Aspidium  (Dryopteris),  Coleus,  Cro- 

ton,  Cyperus,  Dracaena. 

Climbers — 

Bougainvillea,  Cissus,  Clerodendron,  Jas- 
minum,  Smilax,  Stephanotis. 

Orch  ids — 

Cattleya,  Coelogyne,  Dendrobium,  Laelia, 
Lycaste,  Oncidium,  Vanda. 

Vegetables — 

Beans,  Peppers,  Potatoes,  Tomatoes. 


Grape,  Peach,  Strawberry,  Nectarine. 


The  all-iron-frame  house  is  naturally  the  most 
expensive  to  build,  but  as  maintenance  costs 
practically  nothing  and  repairs  are  nil,  its  first 
cost  is  soon  more  than  compensated;  and  there- 
after it  is  daily  a  gain  over  the  part-iron  or  the 
wood — the  latter  now  seldom  used.  Greenhouse 
glass  must  be  the  pure  white  variety,  and  here 
again,  as  with  the  material  of  the  frame,  quality 
is  economy  and  the  "double  thick"  glass  which 
weighs  twentj^-two  ounces  to  the  square  foot 
should  be  used  if  possible.  Glass  that  is  still 
heavier  is  often  used  in  the  modern  houses  where 
the  framework  calls  for  large-size  sheets.  Ground 
glass  has  been  used  for  exotics,  but  in  general  it  is 
better  to  use  the  clear  glass  and  depend  for  shade 
when  it  is  desired  upon  light  fabric  drawn  across 
the  span.  Summer  shade  for  the  roof  must  be 
provided  for,  and  there  has  been  nothing  better 


284  Gardening  Under  Glass 

devised  than  a  rolling  slat  screen.  Whitewash- 
ing or  some  such  brush-applied  shading  material 
is  of  course  freely  practised,  by  commercial  houses 
especially,  but  it  is  unsightly  and  does  not,  more- 
over, allow  for  the  entrance  of  the  sun  when  you 
wish  it  to  enter.  In  practice  the  wash  is  put  on 
the  outside  in  early  summer  and  the  weather  re- 
moves it  by  late  fall. 

Keeping  Things  JJ^arni 

The  very  heart  and  soul  of  the  greenhouse  is 
its  heating  system.  It  will  make  no  difference 
how  perfect  its  appointments  and  its  construc- 
tion, nor  how  skillful  its  attendant,  nor  how 
beautifully  it  is  planned,  if  its  heating  system 
falls  short.  It  is  then  a  dead  thing — as  dead  as  a 
tomb !  In  greenhouse  heating,  as  in  all  other,  it 
is  desirable  to  provide  for  greater  capacity  than 
the  figures  show  will  be  actually  needed,  since 
it  is  always  more  economical  to  run  a  fire  in  check 
than  under  draft.  Then,  too,  there  may  come, 
once  in  a  decade  or  so,  a  season  of  untoward 
severity,  during  which  only  the  excess  heat  that 
has  been  figured  on  will  save  the  night,  if  not  the 
day. 

Unquestionably  it  is  a  wonderful  idea,  this 
greenhouse  one  of  turning  summer  into  winter 
and  temperate  regions  into  tropical  and  convert- 


All  Kinds  of  Greenhouses  285 

ing  sunshine  into  flowers  or  luscious  fruits,  gen- 
erally right  against  the  calendar.  Yet  it  is  timely 
to  remember  right  here  and  now  that  this  is  not 
exactly  what  happens  in  a  greenhouse.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  gardening  under  glass  is  not 
simply  protected-from-the-weather  gardening, 
wherein  the  work  is  carried  on  with  the  same 
materials  as  are  used  out  of  doors;  but  rather  it 
is  gardening  with  very  special  materials  in  most 
cases,  as  well  as  under  highly  artificial  conditions. 
In  the  greenhouse  three  of  the  four  factors  of 
garden  work  are  controlled,  but  the  fourth  is 
quite  beyond  control.  Temperature,  soil,  and 
moisture  are  adjusted  as  delicately  as  necessity 
demands;  but  light  still  remains  outside  the  reach 
of  all  our  cunning — and  what  is  more,  light  is 
diminished  always,  however  cleverly  we  may 
build,  quite  apart  from  the  fact  that  normally 
light  diminishes  greatly  in  winter,  just  when  we 
expect  the  greenhouse  to  be  most  active!  So 
that  while  we  control  the  three  and  increase  these 
however  we  will,  we  diminish  the  fourth  in  spite 
of  everything;  and  create,  therefore,  something 
quite  different  from  any  outdoor  conditions. 

A  New  World  Opens  up 

Realize,  therefore,  that  you  do  not  need  to  con- 
fine yourself  to  the  plants  of  our  outdoor  gardens 


286  Gardening  Under  Glass 

that  we  may  bring  in  and  establish  in  gardens 
under  glass — but  also  a  whole  world  of  plants  of 
another  character  (many  the  result  of  careful  and 
long  breeding  or  selection)  which  must  be  as 
carefully  studied  as  new  worlds  always  are,  in 
order  that  their  requirements  shall  be  understood 
and  met.  Moreover,  these  plants  come  from 
widely  different  places,  and  require  a  great  deal 
more  than  simply  protection  from  cold  to  enable 
them  to  grow  so  far  from  their  native  clime  and 
condition;  and  they  are  not  all  of  the  same  taste 
and  temperament,  either — not  by  any  means. 
Some  like  much  moisture  and  heat,  others  need 
little  of  either,  and  still  others  come  between  and 
will  be  satisfied  with  no  extremes.  This  can  be 
easily  met  by  a  careful  selection  according  to  the 
proposed  temperature  of  your  greenhouse ;  or  else 
by  having  a  series  of  "compartments"  run  at  the 
different  temperatures  to  meet  these  varying 
needs.  Of  course  your  own  common  sense  tells 
you  not  to  expect  to  grow  everything  that  may 
be  fancied  in  your  greenhouse,  simply  because  it 
affords  j^rotection  to  things  that  are  not  hardy  in 
your  latitude.  You  will  attempt  growing  only 
what  you  make  definite  provision  for  when  you 
are  building. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

BOOKS  TO  HELP  YOU  FURTHER 

"Greenhouses:  Their  Construction  and  Equip- 
ment," by  W.  J.  Wright,  director  N.  Y.  State 
School  of  Agriculture,  at  Alfred  University.  A 
well-illustrated  book,  neatly  and  clearly  printed 
and  thoroughly  up-to-date.  There  are  sixteen 
chapters  devoted  to  structional  material  methods 
of  erecting  the  framework,  glazing  and  painting, 
ventilation  machinery,  heating,  boilers,  fuels, 
concrete  construction,  water  supply,  plans  and 
estimates. 

"Greenhouse  Heating."  A  pamphlet  con- 
taining a  reprint  of  four  prize  essays  on  the 
subject,  with  comments  by  an  expert  heating 
engineer.  A  collection  of  answers  to  pertinent 
questions  on  greenhouse  heating  is  included. 

"Furnace  Efficiency,  How  to  Build  Up,"  by 
Joseph  W.  Hays.  Written  in  simple,  readable, 
chatty  style.  The  chapter  headings  indicate  the 
practical  way  in  which  the  subject  has  been 
treated.  They  are:  "Why  Your  Fuel  Is 
Wasted,"  "How  Your  Fuel  Is  Wasted,"  "How 

287 


288  Gardening  Under  Glass 

to  Spot  Your  Fuel  Wastes,"  "How  to  Keep  the 
Wastes  Stopped,"  also  an  appendix,  "Oils,  Gas, 
Wood,  Refuse,  and  Other  Fuels." 

"Principles  of  Floriculture,"  by  E.  A.  White. 
A  manual  of  cut-flower  production  and  general 
treatise  on  under-glass  cultivation  of  florists' 
plants  designed  especially  as  a  class  book  for 
students. 

"Practical  Floriculture,"  by  Peter  Henderson. 
A  guide  to  the  successful  propagation  and  culti- 
vation of  florists'  plants.  The  work  is  not  for 
florists  and  gardeners  only;  for  the  amateur's 
wants  are  constantly  kept  in  mind.  It  also  com- 
prises a  very  complete  treatise  on  the  cultivation 
of  flowers  under  glass,  or  in  the  open  air,  suited 
to  those  who  grow  flowers  for  pleasure  as  well  as 
those  who  make  them  a  matter  of  trade.  Illus- 
trated, 325  pages. 

"Plant  Culture,"  by  George  W.  Oliver,  Propa- 
gator for  the  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 
A  working  handbook  of  every-day  practice  for 
the  gardener,  and  those  who  intend  to  grow 
plants  and  flowers  in  the  greenhouse  or  garden 
as  a  means  of  obtaining  a  livelihood.  Third 
edition  revised.     Illustrated. 

"Plant  Propagation,  Greenhouse  and  Nursery 
Practice,"   by   M.   G.   Kains.     Deals   with   the 


Boohs  to  Help  You  Further  289 

technique  of  seed  germination,  seed  testing, 
potting,  layerage,  bottom  heat,  cuttings,  classes 
of  cuttings,  graftage,  and  theories  and  laws. 
Illustrated. 

"Practical  Plant  Propagation,"  by  Alfred  C. 
Hottes.  Describes  clearly  the  various  modes  of 
propagating  indoor  and  outdoor  plants,  trees, 
shrubs,  and  herbaceous  perennials;  sowing  seeds, 
making  soft  and  evergreen  cuttings,  method  of 
layering  and  grafting,  etc. 

"Commercial  Carnation  Culture,"  by  J.  Har- 
rison Dick.  A  practical  guide  to  modern  meth- 
ods of  growing  the  American  Carnation  for 
market  purposes.  All  sections  of  the  country 
treated  by  experts.     Freely  illustrated. 

"The  American  Carnation — How  to  Grow  It," 
by  Charles  Willis  Ward.  A  treatise  by  one  of  the 
foremost  carnationists  in  America.  It  is  a  thor- 
oughly practical  work  treating  on  all  phases  of 
the  Carnation's  propagation  and  cultivation; 
based  on  years  of  the  author's  actual  experience. 

"The  Chrysanthemum,"  by  A.  Herrington. 
The  author,  than  whom  there  is  no  more  ex- 
perienced expert,  takes  the  public  in  his  confi- 
dence, and  has  endeavored  to  assist  and  direct 
the  efforts  of  those  who  would  grow  and  excel  in 
the  production  of  perfect  Chrysanthemum  flow- 
ers. 


290  Gardening  Under  Glass 

"Commercial  Rose  Culture,"  by  Eber  Holmes. 
This  book  embraces  the  growing  of  Roses  under 
glass  and  outdoors  for  cut-flower  production.  Il- 
lustrated. 

"Sweet  Peas  for  Profit,"  by  J.  Harrison  Dick. 
A  practical  guide  to  the  most  up-to-date  methods 
of  growing  Sweet-peas  under  glass  in  winter  and 
in  the  open  air  for  a  summer  crop.  Freely  il- 
lustrated. 

"Commercial  Violet  Culture,"  by  Prof.  B.  T. 
Galloway.  A  treatise  on  the  growing  and  mar- 
keting of  Violets  for  profit,  giving  every  detail 
necessary  to  success.  The  only  comprehensive 
American  work  on  the  subject.  Third  edition. 
Instructively  illustrated. 

"How  to  Make  Money  Growing  Violets,"  by 
George  Saltford.  The  main  object  of  this  book- 
let is  to  show  how  \  iolets  may  be  produced  as  a 
side  line.  The  successive  chapters  describe  the 
best  soil  for  Violets  and  how  to  prepare  it;  plant- 
ing, watering,  cultivation,  varieties,  temperature, 
heating,  fertilizers,  insects  and  diseases,  houses, 
coldframes,  picking,  bunching,  marketing,  ship- 
ping boxes,  profit,  etc.     Illustrated. 

"Vegetable  Forcing,"  by  Ralph  L.  Watts. 
The  growing  of  all  the  important  vegetables  cul- 
tivated under  glass  is  covered  in  practical  detail. 
While  written  from  the  market  grower's  point  of 


Books  to  Help  You  Further  291 

view,  the  up-to-date  information  on  soil  prepara- 
tion, insects,  diseases,  cropping  systems,  va- 
rieties, etc.,  is  as  helpful  to  the  amateur  as  to  the 
professional. 

"Fruits  and  Vegetables  Under  Glass,"  bj^ 
William  Turner.  The  author  has  enjoyed  a  wide 
experience  in  fruit  growing  both  in  England  and 
this  country,  and  the  success  of  his  methods  has 
been  amply  demonstrated  at  the  leading  exhibi- 
tions. 

"The  New  Rhubarb  Culture,"  compiled  by 
G.  B.  Fiske.  A  complete  guide  to  dark  forcing 
and  field  culture.  Part  I — by  J.  E.  Morse,  the 
well-known  Michigan  trucker  and  originator  of 
the  new  methods  of  dark  forcing  and  field  culture. 
Part  II — Other  methods  practised  by  the  most 
experienced  market  gardeners,  greenhouse  men, 
and  experimenters  in  all  parts  of  America. 
Illustrated,  130  pages. 

"The  Forcing  Book,"  by  Liberty  H.  Bailey. 
A  manual  on  cultivation  of  vegetables  under 
glass.  A  decidedly  instructive  book  founded  on 
the  results  of  Professor  Bailey's  exhaustive  ex- 
periments at  Cornell  University  greenhouses. 
It  is  thoroughly  practical. 

"Diseases  of  Greenhouse  Crops  and  Their 
Control,"  by  J.  J.  Taubenhaus.  Intended  as  a 
guide  to  practical  greenhouse  men,  to  research 


iPnOSfOTV     wwm.^ 


292  Gardening  Under  Glass 

workers,  and  to  students  of  plant  pathology.  It 
is  the  result  of  many  years  of  practical  experience 
by  the  author. 

"Vines  and  Vine  Culture,"  by  A.  F.  Barron. 
The  most  complete  treatise  on  the  cultivation  of 
the  Vinifera  Grape  under  glass. 

"Mushroom  Growing,"  by  B.  M.  Duggar. 
The  beginner  will  find  this  book  a  trustworthy 
guide,  and  the  experienced  grower  will  receive 
many  valuable  hints  and  ideas. 


THE  END 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Accessories,  157 
Air,  When  to  give,  78 
Aphis,  91 
Aphis,  Black,  104 
Asparagus,  133,  263 

Beans,  259 

Bedding  Plants,  239 

Begonias,  118 

Blight,  95 

Blood,  Dried,  69 

Bone-meal,  67 

Books  that  Help,  287 

Bottom  heat,  42,  51 

Building  Hints,  278 

Bulb  Forcing,  Technique  of,  115 

Bulbs,   Forcing,   113 

Bulbs,  Planting  in  Flats,  115 

Bulbs,  Potting,  114 

Cactus,  109 

Calendar,  A  Year's,   165 

Calla  Lily,  117 

Carnations,  98 

Cauliflower,  127,  260 

Cherries,    143 

Chrysanthemums,  102 

Compost,  Materials  for,  158 

Cool-house  Plants,  84 

Crocking,  81,  114 

Crowding,  Injurious  effects  of, 

.  12,  79 


Cucumbers,  130,  257 
Cuttings,    Making,  50 
Cuttings,  Potting  up,  54 

Damping-off,  96 
Diseases,  95 

Experiences     with     a     Small 
House,  18 


Feeding  Process  of  Plants,  65 
Ferns,  106 
Fertilizers,  66 
Flats,  Management  of,  40 
Flat  Prepared  for  Use,  37 
Flowers  to  Count  On,  98 
Frames,  Building  for  use,  155 
Freesia,  117 

Freezing  before  Forcing,  83 
Fruits  in  Pots,  218 
■Fruits  Under  Glass,  137 

Geraniums,  105 

Gladiolus,  118 

Grapes,  137 

Grapes,     From    May    to    New 

Year's,  211 
Greenhouses   and  Architecture, 

15 
Greenhouses,  Styles  of,  147 
Greenhouses,  Types  of,  275 


295 


296 


Index 


Greenhouses,  Unhealed,  Possi- 
bilities of,  282 

Growing  and  Resting  Periods, 
81 

Guano,  69 

Heliotrope,  106 
Hyacinthus,  116 
Hydrocyanic  Acid,  Fumigation 

with,  256 
Humus,  Commercial,  66 


Pots,  Shifting  to  larger,  79 

Potting-on,  79 

Propagation  by  Cuttings,  48 

Red  Spider,  94 
Rest  period,  11 
Rhubarb,  133,  264 
Root  Crops,  125 
Rooting  Cuttings,  53 
Roses,  100 
Roses  all  Winter,  265 


Insects,  The  Fight  Against,  87 
Intermediate-house  Plants,  84 
Iris,  Spanish,  118 
Ivy,  English,  111 

Light  and  Air,  12 

Manure,  66 
Melons,  131 
Mildew,  95 
Moisture,  76 
Mushrooms,  133 

Oxalis,  117 

Palms,  106 

Palms,  All  about,  202 

Peaches,  141 

Pineapples,  All  about,  195 

Pits  for  Storage,  156 

Plant  Combinations  by  Tem- 
peratures, 282 

Plant  Foods  and  Fertilizers,  66 

Plants  and  Required  Tempera- 
tures, 84 

Plunging  Pots,  56 

Pots  for  Cuttings,  54 


Sand  for  Cuttings,  52 
Scale,  92 

Seedlings,  Bringing  up,  43 
Seeds  and  Cuttings,  Beginning 

with,  32 
Seed  Sowing,  37,  41 
Shade  for  Seedlings,  46 
Smilax,  111 
Snapdragons,  100 
Soda  Nitrate,  68 
Soil,  an  All-purpose,  61 
Soil  Building,  57 
Soil  for  Starting  Seeds,  38 
Soil,  Qualities  of,  5 
Sowing  Seeds  in  Flats,  41 
Stocking  up,  30 
Stove  Plants,  85 
Stove  Plants,  Handling,  230 
Strawberries,  144 
Sweet-peas,  110 

Tankage,  69 
Temperature,  73 
Temperatures,  Comparative,  6 
Temperature   requirements,   84, 

282 
Thunbergia,  111 


Index 


297 


Tomatoes,  127,  250 
Tools,  158 
Transplanting,  44 
Troubles,  Causes  of,  71 

Vegetable     Production     Under 

Glass,  249 
Vegetables,  All  the  year,  120 
Vegetables  in  Frames,  225 
Vines,  Decorative,  109 


Violets,  98 

Violets,  All  about,  187 

Water,   How  much   to   use,   76 
Water,  When  to  give,  10 
Watering,  Control  of,  9 
Warm-house  Plants,  85 
White  Fly,  93,  256 
Wood  Ashes,  70 

Year's  Calendar,  A,  165 


r~^n 


n 

1 

i 

m 
tt 

tt 

ti 
SI 

m 
n 

t 

